THE 



UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, 

EXHIBITED IN 

.FOUR DIALOGUES 

BETWEEN A 

MINISTER and his FRIEND ; 

Comprehending the fubftance of feveral real conversions which 
the Author had with various perions, both in 
America and Europe, on that 

INTERESTING SUBJECT, 

CHIEFLY DESIGNED 

Tully to ftate, 2nd fairly to anfwer the mofl common objection? 
that are brought againfl it from the 

SCRIPTURE S. 
By ELHANAN WINCHESTER. 



fo this Edition ig prefixed, a brief account of the means and 
manner* of the author's embracing theft fentiments ; 
intermixed with fome Sketches of his 
Life during Jour years. 



PUBLISHED AT WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS : 
By ISAIAH THOMAS, Jun. 

"old Wholesale and Retail by him, at his Prin'ingofiice in tVorceJler, got 
by THOMAS O WHIPPLE, in Xeu.<huryport t 

Gfhber—iSos, 



<D«< 



From the CRITICAL REVIEW, 

For SeptembeRj 1788. 



" OUR Author, with great candor and extenfive knowledge of 

the fubjeclj difcufies the do&rine of eternal punifnments. He thinks 
that there will be a period when every (inner will be reftored to the 
Divine favor. This do&rine is perfectly confident with the benev- 
olence of the Deity. It is iupported by many wife and good men ; 
nor is there any reafon to fuppofe that it will be perverted to ferve 
thepurpoles of vice and immorality. Mr. Winchester, in his 
defence of it, Chews much charity, much humanity, and no littre 
fhare of learning. The fifth Dialogue alone, which relates to the 
defign and tendency of punifhment, might furnifh fome little foun- 
dation for a difference of opinion ; but, in a queflion io greatly 
above human attainment, the mind would be loft in the inquiry, and 
not greatly benefited by the diicumon. The queftion of the univer- 
sal Reftoratian, muft be examined as Mr. Winchester has done, 
by the word of God, as revealed at different times, and particularly 
in the Go ipcl." 

N. S. A confiderable part of the fifth Dialogue, beingr printed in the Leelure? 
on the Prophecies-, is left out of this edition, and the remaining part is included 
i« the fourth Dialogs. 



PREFAC E, 



To the READER, 



AS T now prefent my Friends and" the Public with a new 
edition of the Dialogues on the Universal Restor- 
ation, which by many has been long defired, perhaps it 
may be acceptable to fome for me to give a brief account 
how I came firft to the knowledge of this part of the conn- 
fc\ of God, which I have notfliunned freely to declare, both 
by word and writing, as I have found opportunity and ne- 
eetilty. 

I think it was in the beginning of the year 1778, being in 
Southcarolina, upon the River Fee Dee, where I was at mat 
time Mini iter, that I called to fee a friend, who fin ft put in- 
to my hands that valuable book written by Paul Sieg*i*6Ik 9 
and which is called The Everlajling Gofpei, of which i have 
lately publifhed a new edition. 1 was Seined to tell what 
it meant toliold forth, as my friend could not tell by any 
means what to make of it on the account of the Angularity 
and ftrangenefs of the fentiments (herein contained ; al- 
though the language is very plain and clear, and by no 
meani dark, myrTical, or obfcure. 

I opened the book as I was defired, and dipping into it 
here and there, for half an hour perhaps, was very fcon 
able to tell what the Author aimed at, viz. that there would 
he a final end of Jin and mifery, and that all fallen crea- 
tures "would be reftored by Jejus Ct.rifi. to a ft ate of hclinejs 
and kappinefs, ajier fuch as nvere rebellious had fuffered 
in proportion to their crimes, I had never feen any thing 
©f the fort before in all my life ; and 1 feemed (truck with 
ieveral ideas that I glanced over, fuch as the inccnfiftency 
and impoflibility of both good and evii always exifting in 
the univerfe ; and efpecially his obfervations upon the word 
eternal or e-uerlafting y ihewing that it was ufed for what 
Bever had a beginning^ and would never have an end, as tho 

being 



PREFACE. 



being and perfections of God ; and that it was alfo applied 
to things which had a beginning, but lliould never have an, 
end, as the being and happinefs of the righteous ; and, that 
it was alfo frequently ufed to exprefs things, times, and 
feafons which had both beginning and end ; which he there-* 
fore called periodical eternities, and gave a great number 
of inftances- of this fort, which could not be denied ; and 
he contended that the enjeriafting punifbment threatened to 
the wicked, did not belong to the ftrft nor to the fecond, but 
to the third clafs ot thefe durations. 

But as 1 was only deiired to tell what the author meant,, 
when * had fatisfied my friend in that refpeet, I laid the book 
down, and I believe we both concluded it to be a plealant 
ingenious hypofhelis, but had no ferious thoughts of its be-* 
ing true \ and for my part, I determined not to trouble my- 
felf about it, or to think any thing more of the matter. And 
as the book had been lent a conliderable diflance for my 
friend to read, i fuppoie it was foon after fent back j for I 
faw it no more, n^r heard any tiling farther about it. The 
tallowing fummer I went a journey into Virgin. a, and hap- 
pening to mention the fubject to a minifter there, he told 
sue tliat a few years before, it had been a fubject oicontro-. 
vcriy in the public papers, between a clergyman, who de- 
fended, and a geiitiema i of the law, who denied the proper 
endlefs eternity ot puni foment ; and he told me that this 
gentleman who denied it, had advanced, that the tranflators 
of the Bible had rendered the very fame Greek word, by 
very different Englifls words, fo-me times rendering it for 
ever, and fometimes uootld ; and that if they had always, 
uniformly ren ered it by one En^lifb word, it would have 
been evident to all readers, that no argument for endlefs 
mifeiy, could have been drawn therefrom. I was told alio 
while I was in Virginia, that a clergyman of the epifcopal 
church, had a few years before, given out that he had fome 
wonderful thing to.make known to his hearers, which he 
would preach upon lome Sunday, but did not mention 
when. 1 his railed the public cunofity, and great num- 
bers attended his place of wonhip in hopes of hearing what 
this wonderful thing might be ; but for a considerable time 
the matter was undifcovered. But at lai't he gave out, that 
on the next Sunday he would open this great fecret. Vail 
numbers of people flocked to hear what tcouldbe : When 
he came to declare what it was, behold ! it was a wonder- 
ful piece of news indeed, fuch as had never been heard be- 
fore in any pulpit in Virginia. )t was nothing fhort of the 
doctrine of the Restoration. I think, to the beit of my re- 
membrance, they 'told me, that he opened and enlarged up- 



PREFAC E. 



v 



en It for two Sundays, and never preached any more, being 
immediately after feized with ficknefs, which terminated in 
A his death. And this was generally efteemed as a judgment 
that fell upon him for daring to preach fucha wicked, falfe, 
and dangerous opinion ; and that God cut him off from the 
land of the living, toteftify his difpleafure againft him; and 
to terrify others from daring to following his example, or 
believe his fentiments. But perhaps this might have been 
fome. worthy, learned, pious man, who had long concealed 
this grand truth in his heart, and had derived much fatif- 
faction therefrom, and longed to proclaim it to others, for 
their good. A nd at laft, notwithstanding the opposition that 
he might expect, refofved fo to do ; and accordingly was 
enabled,, juft before his time came to depart out of this world, 
to bear a faithful teftimony to his moll grand and important 
ot all God's purpofes. And having performed his duty, 
his matter called him to receive his reward, and gave him 
the glorious plaudit of, " Well done, thou good and faith- 
ful fervant ;— enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 

As for the vain judgments of men they are not to be re- 
garded. ''For they know not the thoughts of the Lord, 
neither underftand they his eounfel.*' M But the fouls of 
the righteous are in the hand of God, and there (hall no 
torment touch them. In the fight of the unwife they leem- 
ed to die ; and their departure is taken for mifery* And 
their going from us to be utter deft ruction ; but they are 
in peace. For though they be punhhed in the fight of men, 
yet is their hope full of immortality. And having neen a 
little chaftifed, they (hall be greatly rewarded ; for God 
proved them, and found them.worthy forhimtelf. As gold 
in the furnace hath he tried them, and hath received them 
as a burntoffering. And in the time of their vifitation, they 
£hall fhine, and run to and fro, like fparks among the ftub- 
ble. They (hall judge the nations, and l>ave dominion 
over the people, and their Lord (hall reign for ever. They 
that put their truft in him {hall underftand the truth ; and 
fuch as be faithful in love (hall abide with him ; for grace 
and mercy is to his faints, and he hath care for his elect. 5 * 
V But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet 
ft all he be in reft." 

Iain apt to think therefore, that this mmifier was one of 
uncommon fa th and love, and as he believed God, fo he 
loved mankind, and wifhed them to know the amazing rich- 
es of their Redeemer's love towards them , and when his 
had openly delivered this teftimony, he was cailed to his 
reft. 

Indeed if the enemies of this doctrine had been true 

prephets 3 



PREFACE. 



prophets, I fhould have died and gone to hell long ago ; for 
no fooner was it known I had embracd it, but iome gave 
out that I would not live a year ; but 1 have already lived 
eleven. One of my old friends defired me to take particu- 
lar notice of what he laid, which he exprelTed in thefe 
words, *' Mind what 1 tel you. In fix months from this 
time, you will turn -Deift, and deny all revealed religion ; 
and in twelve months you will turn Athieft, deny the being 
of God, and abandon yourfelf to all kinds of open wicked- 
nels." Biefled be God, this has alfo proved falfe. And 
tlaey generally feemed to agree to prophefy certain damna- 
tion to me whenever i fhould depart out of this world. But 
I truft this is equally falfe, " For 1 know whom I have be- 
lieved* (or trufted) and am perfuaded that he isable to keep 
that which 1 have committed unto him agai-nft that day." 
Bu to return to my narrative : 

Sometime after I retur ed back to Southcarolina, a Phy- 
iician with whom 1 had been acquainted in Virginia, came 
to live in the pariih where I was minfter ; and among his 
books 1 found the Enjerlajting Go/pel, by Paul Seigvolk ^ 
this was the iecond copy that had fed in my way, and I 
read a little more therein, but as yet had not the leaft 
thought that ever I fhould embrace his fentiments ; yet 
lome of his arguments appeared very conclutive, and I 
could not wholly {hake them off, but I concluded to let 
them alone, and not inveftigate the n atter ; and therefore I 
never gave the book even lo much as one curfcry reading, 
till w ith great difficulty I procured one in the city of Phi- 
iadelphia, more two years afterwards. 

In the year 1779, 1 found my felt much ftirred up to ex- 
hort my fellow creatures to repent, believe, and obey the 
Gofpel, and began to adopt a more open and general method 
of preaching than I had ufed for fbme years before ; hav- 
ing been deemed one of the moft confident Catvinifts upon 
* the continent, much upon the plan of Dr. Gill, whom 1 ef- 
teemed almoil as an oracle. But now my heart being open- 
ed, and viewing the worth of fouls, I felt great companion 
towards them, and inviied them with all my might to fly 
for mercy to the arms of Chriff, who died for them, and 
who was willing to lave them I was gradually led into 
this w ay of preaching, without confidering any thing about 
its conjiftency with ftnc'ccaivinifm, but finding myfeif every 
happy and comfortable in my own mind, and that this meth- 
od or preaching was highly ufeful, I continued to go in the 
fi me con rfe. 

About this time I began to find uncommon defires for 
the convention and iaivation of. the poor, negroes, who 

were 



PR E F A C E. 



were very numerous in that part of the country : but 
whom none of my predeceflors, that I could iearn, had ev- 
er taken pains to inftruct in the principles of.Chriftianity ; 
neithe r had any fmgle flave,, either n an, or woman been- 
baptized until that fummer in the whole parim (yvhich was 
very large) that I ever heard of. 

1 he prejudices which the flaves had againft Chriftanity ; 
on account of the feverities praCiifed upon them by profeiT- 
ing Chriftians, both minifters and people, might be one prin- 
c pal reafon why they could not be brought to attend to re- 
ligious inftruclions. But they had no prejudice againft me 
on the fcore, as I never had any thing to do with flavery, 
but on the contrary condemned it ; and this being pretty, 
generally known, operated fo upon the minds of thofe poor 
creatures, that they (hewed a difpolition to attend my.min- 
iftry, more than they had ever (hewed to any other. But 
ftill I never had addrefled them in particular, and indeed: 
had hardly any nopes of doing them good. But one even- 
ing ieeing a great number of them at the door ofthe boufe 
where I was- preaching, I found myielf conftrained as it 
were, to go to the door, and tell them, That Jefus Chrift' 
loved them, and died for them, as well as for us white peo- 
ple, and that they might come and believe in him and wel- 
eome. And 1 gave them as warm and preiTing an invita- 
tion as I could, to comply with the glorious gofpeh This 
ftiort difcourfe addrefted immediately to them, took greater 
effect than can well be imagined There, were about thir- 
ty from one plantation in the neighborhood prefent ; (be- 
fides others) thefe returned home, and did not even give 
fieep to their eyes, as they afterwards informed me> until 
they had lettled every quarrel among themfelves, and ac- 
cording to their form of marriage, had married every man 
to the woman with whom he lived had reftored whatever 
one had unjuftly taken from another; and determined from 
that time, to feek the Lord diligently . From that very even- 
ing they began conftantly to pray to the Lord, and fo con- 
tinued ; and he was found of them. I continued to inftrucl 
the , and within three months from the firft of June, I 
baptized more than thirty blacks belonging to that planta- 
tion, befides as many others, as in the whole made up one 
hundred, ot which hxtythree were men, and thirtyfeven^ 
were women, all which were born in Africa, or immediate- 
ly defcended from fuch as were natives of that unhappy 
country, 

My preaching was not only ufeful to the poor flaves, but 
alfo to great numbers of the white people, of whom 1 bap- 
tized upon profeflion of repentance and faith in Chrift, about 

one 



viii 



PREFAC E 



©ne hundred and thirtynine perfons within the fame fpace* 
1 his was a fummer ot great fuccefs, and I (hall rememem- 
Ber that happy feafon with pleafure while I live- 1 his 
fummer I received feme farther dawnings of the day of the 
general Reftoration in my mind, for upon confidering fev- 
eral Scriptures, fuch as thefe, " He fhall lee ot the travail 
of his foul, and fhall be Satisfied ; by his knowledge fliall 
my righteous fervant juftify many ; for he (hall bear their 
iniquities/' Ifai. liii. ii " After this I beheld, and io, a 
great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, 
and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues r Mood before the 
throne, and b fore the Lamb, clothed with white robes, 
and palms in their hands" Rev vii. 9. T became fully per- 
fuaded tha* the number of the finally faved would equal if 
not exceed the number of the loft. And I was fo forcibly 
imp re fifed with thk new and very joyful difcovery, that I 
not only converfed in that (train privately, but boldly 
preached it in the congregation^ which generally confided 
of nearly a thoufand per/ons upon Sundays. Some of the 
people to whom l had mentioned lomething refpecting the 
Sentiment, though hat i was going at once to declare my- 
felf in favor of the ge ne ral Refioration ... But that was as 
yet far from being the tafe ; though fome of the arguments 
which 1 had glanced upon in that book, the EwerL.Jling 
Go/pel, would frequently prefent themfclves to my mind in 
fuch a forcible manner that I could fcarcely withftand their 
evidence. 

In the month of September I left Southcarolina, on a 
vifit to my friends in Nenvengland, intending however to 
return to my people again ; but to prevent their being left 
deftitute, i procured the Rev. Mr. Botsford to come and 
fupply them, upon this condition, that whenever I fhould, 
return, he fhould refign the congregation to me again, if I 
required it. But he has remained the conftant Haftor ever 
fince. I then travelled flowly through the continent, 
preaching to the people, and converfing with my friends, 
to whom iometim.es in private I propoied fome of the argu- 
ments in favor of the general Refioration, which I had read 
in the E e veriafling Go/pel, on purpofe to fee what anfwers 
they could give ; and this I did efpecially to able Minis- 
ters; but to my furprHe often found them quite at a ftandy 
not knowing what to fay . And fome were almoft overpow- 
ered with even the weak manner in which I was capable o£ 
holding forth the arguments in favor of the Rejioration. — 
And oftentimes the anfwers that fome of the greateft men- 
gave, were fuch as tended to increafe my doubts refpe£bng 
tndlefs miferj. } rather than to remove them, I remember 

ence^ 



PRE.FA C E. 



•ace, that I afked the Rev. Mr. Manning,. Prefident of 
Rbode'ijland College, and who was at that time one of my 
deareft friends, what was the ftrongeft argument that he 
could ufe in favor of the doctrine of endiefs mifery r He 
anfwered, That it was the nature of God, to lay the great- 
ell poflible reftraint upon fin, and therefore he had threat- 
ened it with endiefs punijbment, as the higheff. reftraint he 
could poffibly lay upon it. This argument is anfwered^ in 
the third dialogue. Thus after much feeking i could find 
no fatisfaction in the matter ; but (till my doubts increafed. 
Notwithstanding, I withftood the doctrine of the Reftoration- 
with all my might, and fometimes preached publicly againhV 
it with all the force I could mutter. Yet there was fome- 
thing in its favor that gained gradually upon my mind, and 
fometimes brought me to be almoft willing to embrace it. 
I plainly faw that it would reconcile almoft, if not quite, 
all difficulties of other fyftems ; and I thought if I fnould-. 
ever receive it, 1 fnould be able to preach much eafier, and ; 
more freely than ever, and with far greater fatisfaction, 
which by experience, I have fince found to be true. 1 he.« 
ideas were fometimes fo tranfporting to me, even while I 
profeffed to oppofe the fentiment, that I have been con-, 
ftrained to fet them forth in themoft fublime manner that I 
was able ; and fometimes fo as actually to bring them who- 
heard me convene upon the fubject to believe and rejoice 
in the Uni<verfal Rejlorathn, while 1 thought myfelf an 
oppofer of it, and, only prvpofed the arguments in its favor 
to fee what effect they would have on fuch who never heard- 
them before. And I was often carried away before i 
aware, even while I intended only to let my friends hear 
what might be faid. I remember once, while I was at my 
father's table in the year 1 780, that 1 mentioned the doctrine 
of the Reftoration y and finding that none in company had 
ever fo much as heard of fuch a fcheme, I began to bold it 
forth, produced many arguments in its favor, brought up. 
many objections, anfwered them in fuch a manner as atton- 
ilhed all prefent, and I was amazed at my {elf, i fpoke with 
fo much eafe and readinefs as i had hardly ever experienced 
before on any occalion. Nay, I was fo much animated with 
the fubject. that I laid, That I did not doubt-but that in fix- 
ty years time, that very doctrine would univerfally be 
preached, and generally embraced in that very country, and 
would certainly. prevail over ail opposition* 

This difcourfe made a greater imprellion upon the minds 
of thofe who heard it, and upon my own alfo, than I intend- 
ed ; and though I afterwards ufed the beft arguments I could 
in favor of the common opinion, yet I. found them infuffi- 

mm 



PRE FA C E. 



eient wholly to remove the effects of what I' had before- 
laid. 

After fpending about twelve months in the moft delight- 
ful manner, constantly journeying and preaching with great 
fuccefs, to vaft multitudes of people in my native country, 
I fet off with intention to return towards South Carolina. — 
On the way 1 tarried fome time at the houfe of the Rev. 
Mr. Samuel Waldo, in failing's Precw&, Stare of Nenju- 
york, whofe kind and friendly behavior towards me I re- 
member with pieafure, and mention with gratitude. I had 
a great deal of very agreeable conversation with him upon 
the matter, and he did net feem to oppofe the ideas hardly 
at all ; but only gently cautioned me againft receiving any 
thing erroneous* He is a man of a molt excellent fpirit, 
and his family was upon the whole the moft delightful, a- 
greeabie, and" happy family that I ever knew. While I 
was at his houle one of his children, then about twenty 
years of age, feemed fully convinced of Ihc truth of the 
doctrine, by iiftening to our ccnvsrfation,--ar.d was filled 
with great jay at the idea. Several religious men who were 
on a journey, lodged at the houfe .- bile I was there, got a 
hint of the matter, and wi fried to hear all that I could fay in 
defence of it i accordingly gave them feme ofthe princi- 
pal arguments in its favor, and obviated fome of the moft 
capital objections that could be brought againft it ; and I 
afterwardsoverheardthem wifhing that they had not been fo 
curious as to have inquired fo far into tfte fubjeci, for they 
could not refill the arguments, although they feemed re- 
folved to treat the fentiments as an error. 

In this Mate of mind, half a convert to the doctrine of the 
Reftoration, 1 arrived in the city of Philadelphia, on the 
7th of October, 1780. 1 intended to have left the city in a 
few days, and to have gt ne on towards South Carolina, but 
the Baptill church being deftitute of a minister, they invit= 
ed me to flop and preach with them to which 1 was at 
length perfuaded, and for fome time I was much followed, 
and there were great additions to the church, The con- 
gregations increafed in fuch a manner, efpecially on Sun- 
dayevenings, that our place of worship, though large, would 
by no means contain them ; at length leave was afked by 
fome of ray friends for me to preach in the church of St. 
Paul, in that city, which was granted. This was one of 
the largeft houfes of worfhip in Philadelphia, and equal in 
bignefs to moft of the churches in London* I think I 
preached there about eighteen fermons, and generally to 
very crowded audiences, frequently more than could pof- 
fibl'y getiato the houfe \ molt of the clergy> of every de> 

sorai nation 



PREFACE. 



nomination in the city, heard me there, and many thou- 
fands of different people, i am inclined to think, that 1 
never preached to fo many before nor fince as I did fome- 
times in that houfe, and with almoft univerfal approbation. 
But now the time of my trouble and cafting down came on, 
and thus it was. 

Soon after I arrived in the city I had inquired of fome 
friend for The Euerlafling Go/pel, which 1 could not light 
on for fome time, but they lent me Mr Stonehoufe's book 
upon the Reftitution of all Things, which I had never feen 
nor heard of before j this very learned work I read with 
great care, and his reafoning, arguments, and fcripture 
proofs feemed to me entirely fatisfactory. 

The friends who procured me the works of Mr. Stone- 
koufe, were concerned at my having an inclination to read 
any thing upon fuch a fubjecl ; neverthelefs, though there 
"were feveral of them with whom I converfed pretty freely 
upon the matter, and who knew of my reading Mr,' Stone- 
houfe 's works, yet they behaved in fo friendly a manner to- 
wards me, that they never mentioned a word of it to 
any, until by other means it come to be known and talk- 
ed' of. 

In the houfe where I lodged, when I firft came to the 
city, I had, in the freedom of converfation, and with fome 
appearance of joy, exprelled myfelf in general terms upon 
the fubjeel, but always in the exacr words of Scripture, or 
fn fuch a manner as 4his, viz. ^ That 1 could not help hop- 
ing that God would finally bring every knee to Soiv, and 
every tongue to fiuear ; and that at the name of Jefus e<v • 
>try knev Jboula boiv y of things in heaven^ and things in 
earth ) and things under the earth ; and that every tongue 
ihould confefs Jesus Ch rist to be Lord to the glory of God 
the Father, And that i hoped, that in the difpenfation of 
the Julnefs of times \ he might gather together in o, e all 
things in Christ, both which are in hea<ven 9 and njohich 
are on earth f &c. 

Such paflfages as thefe I mentioned in this manner, hop- 
ing that they would be fulfilled. The people of the houfe 
feemed furprifed, and aiked me if I believed fo : I anfwer- 
ed <l That fometimes I could not help hoping that it might 
be fo." I could hardly have imagined among friends, that 
any danger could have arifen from my expretling a hope 
that the Scriptures were true. 

However thefe falfe friends told a minifter, whom for a 
numbe: A years I had efteemed as my belt and molt, inti- 
mate friend hat I was turned heretic, and believed the 
*~/%ine «f Uie Vniwrfal Rejhratiort, and defired him to 
*\ convince 



xii P REFA C E. 

•convince me. Some time after he met with me in the fh-eet* 
and in a very abrupt manner told me, that he had wanted 
to fee me for fome time, that he might give me a piece of 
his mind ; that he had been informed Dy fuch a perfon, 
that I was inclined to the doctrine of the 'Univerfal Reftor- 
ation % and then, inftead of ufing any argument to convince 
me, or taking any method for my recovery, added this 
laconic fpeech, " It you embrace this fentiment, I mail no 
longer own you for a brother." And he has hitherto been 
as good as his word, having never written nor fpoken to 
me from that day to this ; and when I have fince offered to 
(hake hands with him, he has refufed ; and yet he was one 
whom I e (teemed above any other on earth, as a hearty, 
fincere, longtried, and faithful friend. Jf my intimate 
friend treated me in fuch a manner, what had I not to ex- 
pect from my open and avowed enemies ? 

I now forefaw the dorm, and I determined to prepare for 
It, not by denying what 1 had faid, but by examining and 
determining for myfelf, whether the fentiment was accord- 
ing to Scripture or not. If I found that it was not, I was 
determined to retract, but if it was, to hold it faft, let the 
confequenc.es be what they might* I had now no time to 
lofe, 1 expected in a fhort time to be called to an account, 
and examined refpeeting this doctrine, and obliged either 
to defend or deny it ; I was already too well perfuaded that 
it was true, to do the latter without hefitation, and yet not 
fufficiently for the former. For this purpofe, I fhut myfelf 
up chiefly in my chamber, read the Scriptures, and prayed 
to God to lead me into all truth, and not fuffer me to em- 
brace any error ; and I think that with an upright mind, I 
laid myfelf open to believe whatever the Lord had reveal- 
ed. It would be to© long to tell all the teachings I had on 
this head ; let it fuffice, in fhort, to fay, That I became fo 
well perfuaded of the truth of the Uninjerfal Rejtoration, 
that I was determined never to deny it, let it coft me ever 
fo much, though all my numerous friends fhould forfake 
me, as I expected they would, and though I fhould be driv- 
en from men, and obliged to dwell in caves or dens of the 
earth, and feed on wild roots and vegetables, and fuffer the 
lofs of all things, friends, wealth, fame, health, character, 
and even life itfelf. The truth appeared to me more valu- 
able than all things, and as I had found it, I was determin- 
ed never to part with it, let what would be offered in ex- 
change. 

i had now formed my refoluiion, and was determined 
how to act when the trial came. Hitherto I had faid no ril- 
ing about the Rejioratlon in public, and but little in pri- 
vate ; 



PREFAC E. 



xiit 



v?.te ; but T preached up the death of Chrift, and falyation 
for mankind through him, without reftriction. This free 
manner of preaching gave offence to fome, who came to 
hear me no more. On the evening of the 22d of January 
1781, a number of the members of the church, who had 
heard that I held the doctrine of the Rejioration^ met me 
at a friend's houfe, to a(k me the queftion, Whether I did 
or not ? I acknowledged that I did, but did not wkh to 
trouble any body with my fentiments. They defired me 
neither to preach them in public, nor to converfe of them 
in private. I told them, That if they would prevent peo- 
ple from afking me, I would lay nothing upon the matter ; 
but if people afked me concerning my fentiments, I could 
not deny them, and if they wifhed to know the reafons, I mud 
inform them. And thus the matter was to reft ; but fome 
that were prefent, wifhed to know the foundation of my 
fentiments, others oppofed it, not wifhing to hear anything 
in its favor. At length it was agreed that I might read the 
pafTages of Scripture upon which I judged the doctrine of 
the Re ft oration to be founded, but muft not add a fingle 
word of explanation on my part, and on their parts they 
were not to afk any queftions, or make the leaft oppofition, 
for if they did, I infilled upon the liberty of defending. 

Accordingly I took the Bible, and read many parages in 
the Old and New Teftaments, which I judged to contain 
the doctrine ; and the very reading of them convinced fev- 
eral of the company of the truth of the Reftoration. There 
was nothing farther took place at that time : We parted 
with a mutual^ agreement ; I was not to preach it in the 
pulpit, nor to introduce it in converfation, but I would not 
be obliged to deny it, when afked, nor to refufe to vindi- 
cate it, if oppofed ; and on their parts they were not to 
fpeak of it to my prejudice, but to endeavor as much as 
poftible, to keep the matter clofe, and fo we parted. But 
notwithstanding all the pains that could be taken, the mat- 
ter got abroad, and feveral came to difcourfe with me on 
my principles, to whom I gave fuch reafons as I was able 
for what I believed. A little after this time, I met with 
another copy of the Everlafting Gofpel t which I then read 
through with attention for the fir ft time, and found much 
fatisfaction the arguments and Scripture proofs therein 
contained, learned to me fufficient to convince all that would 
r«ead with candor and attention. 

I ftill continued to a£c only; on the defenfive, not preach- 
ing upon the fubjecl, nor going about to private houfes to 
make intereft in my favor ; but if any came to me and 
wi&ed me to difcourfe upon it, I would not refufe ; and 
B thus 



PREFAC E. 



thus a number were convinced of its truth, while others 
violently oppofedit. And thus matters continued until the 
Jatter end of March. Having heard that the German Bap- 
tifts in Germantonvn, about 8 miles from Philadelphia, held 
the dottrine of the Reftoration, I had appointed to fpend 
the fir ft Sunday in April with them ; and this engagement 
hadbeen made fometime : Juft as I was ready to go out of 
the city on Saturday, I found that fome of the members of 
the Church had privately lent into the country, and col- 
letted a number of the ableft minifters, who were ar- 
rived in the city on purpofe to debate, I gave them the 
liberty of my pulpit as they pleafed for the next day, and 
went out of the city to go to Germantoiun ; and took 
that opportunity to go and vifit that ancient, venerable, and 
excellent man, Dr. George De Benneville, who received 
me in the molt kind, open, and friendly manner ; and his 
converiation was moft highly edifying to me. Afterwards 
I went to Qermantoivn, and lodged there all night, ready 
to preach the next day. As foon as my enemies in Phila- 
delphia found that I was gone out of the city, they fpread 
a report that I had £ed to avoid an interview with thefe 
minifters, who had come on purpofe to convince me.— 
Nothing could have been more falfe, thanfuch a report, for 
I had been engaged to go to Germatit&ixn^ on that day, for 
feveral weeks beforehand : I knew nothing of thefe Min- 
ifters being fent for until they came to town ; and I had 
no fear but I fliould be able, by God's affiftance, to defend 
the caufe before them ; and befides, I had appointed to 
return on Monday, and did return accordingly. The 
whole Church met, both my friends and my oppofers, and 
thefe Minifters met with them. I was called to attend a 
funeral at the time, and was at the houfe of mourning, 
when a mefTenger was fent in hafte, to defire my immediate 
attendance at the meeting without any delay. I found that 
thofe who were my enemies in the affembly, had been 
greatly vaunting over my friends, becaufe I was not pres- 
ent, They faid I had abfconded merely to avoid a debate, 
in which I was fure to be confuted, as here was an oppor- 
tunity that might never prefent itfelf again ; and feven 
wife," able, ■ and learned Minifters had affembled on purpofe 
to difpute with me, but that I had gone, and left my ad- 
herents in the lurch, from a confcioufnefs that I was not 
able to defend my caufe ; with abundance more to the 
fame purpofe My friends, on the other hand, told them, 
That i was afraid of nothing but fin, and that they doubt- 
ed not of my being able and w illing to difpute with any 
one of the gentlemen, or all of them, one by one, if they 
chofe it, O, no \ they replied* they knew better than that, 

I was 



PREF A C E. 



I was ' gone out of the way on purpofe, where I could not 
Be found. My friends told them, That if there was a vote 
paft in the aflembly that I fhould difpute with any one, 
they would engage that I would be among them in a few 
minutes. It was accordingly unanimoufly voted, that I 
ihould difpute with the Rev. Mr. Boggs, upon my fenti- 
ments, in the prefence of thefe Minifters, and of the whole 
affembly. But when in a few minutes 1 came in, and took 
my place, wha* different countenances appeared in the con- 
gregation ? All my friends were highly pleafed, and the 
others were as much confounded and difappointed, at fee- 
ing me come in fo cheerfully and quickly, after they had 
made fhemfeives fo fure, that 1 would not come. But 
furely, I might have been looked upon with pity \ alone to 
anfwer for myfelf, no one to fupport me ; while my antag- 
enifts were feven of the abler! Minifters that could be ob- 
tained. i felt, however, that inward compofure, from a 
confcioufnefs of having acted uprightly and fincerely in the 
whole affair, that even caufed my countenance to appear 
eafy and cheerful. 

The vote was then publicly read, and I flood up, and de- 
clared my readinefs to comply with what was required. — 
The worthy gentleman who was chofen to difpute with me, 
then ro(e up, and faid thefe words, li I am not prepared to 
difpute with Mr. Winchefter y I have heard that he fays, 
That it would take fix weeks to canvafs all the arguments 
fairly on both fides ; and I fuppofe he has been ftudying 
upon the fubjecl for a week or more, and 1 have not ftudi- 
ed it at all ; and therefore I muftbeg to be excufed." 

When I found that he. and all the reft wholly declined 
difputing with me, I begged liberty to fpeak for two hours 
upon my fentiments, and lay them fairly open, and the 
ground upon which I maintained them. But this was de- 
nied me y I then defired them to give me one hour for this 
purpofe j but this w as alfo refufed* One of the Minifters 
got up, and faid, That their bufmefs was not to debate with 
me, but to a Ik me, whether I believed the Re ft oration of 
bad men and angels, finally to a ftate of holinefs and hap- 
pinefs; &c. 

But if they did not come to difpute with me, why was 
the vote paiied by their party, as well as by my friends, 
that I (hould difpute with them ? This fpeaks for itfelf. — 
The minifters infifted upon putting the queftion to me, Da 
you believe the doctrine of the Univerfal Reflor&tion f 
My friends objected to my anfwering the queftion, unlefs I 
*u*ght be allowed to vindicate my fentiments. But I faid, 
That I did not fear any ufe that could be made of my words ; 

that 



PREFACE. 



that I had always freely confefled what my thoughts were, 
when afked ; and therefore I told them, that I did heartily 
believe the General Reftoratlon, and was willing to defend 
it. The gentleman that was cho fen to difpute with me, 
then afked me, whether I thought it ftrange, confidering 
my change of fentiments, that there fhould be fuch a noife 
and uproar made upon the oecafion, &c. I told him, That 
I did not think it ftrange at all ; and gave him a little hifto- 
wy of the affair, and how the matter came abroad, through 
the treachery of fome whom I had efteemed as my friends ; 
that when I mentioned it to them I was not fully perfuad- 
ed of it myfelf, and perhaps never might have been, if I 
had not been oppofed and threatened ; that I never had 
intended to trouble the people with my fentiments, but was 
willing to live and die with them, if they could bear with 
me ; but that 1 could not ufe lo much deceit, as to deny 
what I believed, when afked by any one ; that I never had 
yet done fo, and by the grace of God never would, let the 
€onfequences be what they might. What I faid was in the 
prefence of all my accufers, and none cf them could contra- 
dict me, nor had ought to lay to my charge, except in this 
matter of the Gofpel of my Savior. My difcourfe took 
fuch an effect upon him, that he then publicly declared, 
that my behavior in the whole affair had been as became a 
man and a cbrifilan y and that no one could accufe me of any 
improper conduct. I flood feme-time, and as none appear- 
ed to have any thing farther to fay to me, I took my leave, 
and went out." He accompanied me to the door, and told 
me that he would write to me upon the lubjecl \ but what- 
ever was the reafon, he never did, nor have welpoken to- 
gether fince. 

1 he Minifters then advifed the people to get another 
Minifler ; but my friends being numerous, inMedit fhould 
be fairly determined by the fubfcribers at large j but this 
the other party would not agree to. Several very fair of- 
fers were mads by my friends to them, but they refufed 
them all; and finally, by force they kept us out of the houfe, 
and deprived us of our part of the property, which was at 
laft confirmed to them by law, though I think unjulily, as 
we were thz majority at firft ; but they took uncommon 
pains in carrying a~bout a proteft againft me, to every mem- 
ber of the church, both in the city and in the country, and 
threatening all with excommunication who would not fign 
it ; by which fome were intimidated, and by thefe and other 
means they ftrengthened their party . But on the other hand, 
I took no pains, either to profelyte people to believe my 
feftiimtnts gv to make raj party ftromj. But I believe n e xr 



PREFACE. 



xvli 



an hundred of the members fuffered themfelves to be ex- 
communicated rather than to fign the proteft againft me, 
and the dodtrine that I preached. When we were deprived 
of ourhoufeof worfhip, the Truftees of the Unwerjity gave 
us the liberty of their hall, where we quietly worftiipped 
God for about four years, until we purchafed a place for 
ourfelves. But to return. After this meeting of the Min- 
ifters, the whole affair was open, and I found myfelf oblig- 
ed to vindicate the doctrine which they had condemned 
unheard, not only in private, but in the pulpit. Accord- 
ingly, on the 22a day of April, I preached a fermon on 
Gen. hi. 15, in which I openly averted the doctrine of the 
Final and Univerfal Re flotation of all fallen intelligences. 
This was publhhed by particular defire, with a lift of the 
plainer!: Scripture paffages in favor of the doctrine ; and a 
number of the mo ft common and principal objections, fair- 
ly ftated, and anfwered. This was my firft appearance in 
the world as a profe writer, which was what I never expect- 
ed to be, and probably ffiould never have been but for this 
occafion ; ftill lefs a writer of controversy, to which I had 
naturally a great averfion. 

After I had preached this fermon,, I had the Chevalier 
Ramfey's Philofophical Principles of Natural and Reveal- 
ed Religion put into my hands ; I read the fame with great 
pleafure and advantage, and I muft acknowledge it to be a 
work of great merit, and I have reafon to blefs God that 
ever I had opportunity of reading it. I can heartily recom- 
mend it, as one of the beft: works in our language ; and I 
muft fay, that in moft things I fully agree with that very- 
Intelligent author. On the fourth day of January 1782, I 
preached the fermon called, The Outcafls Comforted / from 
Ifaiah lxvi. 5, to my friends who had been caft out, and ex— 
communicated, for believing this glorious dodtrine. This 
was foon after printed, and the next year it was republifhed 
in London^ by the Rev. Mr. Richard Clark, and was the 
firft of my works ever printed here. 

I have thus given a brief, plain, and fimple account of 
the means that have brought me to think and write in the 
manner that I have done, and which account may by con- 
fideredas an hiflorical (ketch of nearly four years ofmylifev 

1 have every year fmce printed and published fomething, 
which I judged might be ufefol to my fellowcreatures ; but 
as my works are in the hands -of moft of my friends, it is 
not neceffary to give a particular account of any of them 
here, except this book of Dialogues on the Univerfal ReJ- 
toration. I have had many difcouries with various perfons 
iipcn this fubiect, and many objections have been propofed 



PREFACE. 



to me, which I have endeavored to anfwer ; and l ean tru- 
ly fay, that thefe difcoarfes, their queftionis, and my an- 
fwers, their objections, and my folutions, form the bulk of 
thefe Dialogues. I have endeavored to give all the poffible. 
force to their objections, and if any of them are weak I can 
allure the Public, that I have not made them fo (as fome 
have infmuated) merely that I might be able-to anfwer them* 
but the weaker!. of them have been propofed to me, and I 
have fairly fet down the moft powerful that I ever heard, 
generally in the very words in which they were, addreifed 
to me, whether in converfation, or by letter; and I am 
willing if ftronger objections can be made, to put them in. 
the place of thofe which I have fet down, or add them le 
the number ; and I have in this new edition added a few* 
which T have heard fince the work, was flrff. publiihed, ancr 
elpecially one which was lent me by a. venerable Minifter,. 
from America, and which I have largely aniwered. 

I have the fatistaclion of knowing not only that thefe Di- 
alogues have been well received, but that they have beer^ 
the means of bringing many perfons to the belief of the. 
truth of the Univerfal Reftoration, and have ftrengthened 
and confirmed others, as will plainly appear from the fol- 
lowing extracts of letters, which I have received from fev«. 
cral Minifters in different parts of the kingdom, fince theifr 
puhlication. 



WisBiCHj Oftober 26, 17^8; 

4<j Dear Sir:,. 

"T 

X AM perfuaded your knowledge of the world 
and its inhabitants, hath long fince taught you to be familiar wiih 
the addreffes of perfons unknown to you ; and I have formed that 
opinion of you. that your candor will admit, and your generous 
mind rejoice to hear, that a perfon, though unknown to you. is con- 
vinced that God hath gracious defigns towards universal man. I 
am that perfon, Sir. For fome time paft I have entertained doubts 
with reipecYto the eternity cj hell torments. My doubts principally 
arofe from the confideration of the vafl diiproportion between 
momentary crimes, committed in this Jhort life, and the fuffering itifini- 
tude of punifhment ; yet many difficulties lay in my way that I did 
not know how to remove, and I continued thus embarralTed, until 
k ihort time fince I had the happinefs, to meet w ith yeux Dialog** 



PRE F A C E. 



gn the Unkerfal Rejloration, which, I thank God, have Helped me- 
much.. My ardent prayer is, that the truth may fpread, that the: 
word of the Lord may run and be glorified, 

" My good friend, Mr. F , (hewed me your letterto him^ 

by which I fee your readinefs to ferve the cauie of our great Head, 
Chrifk Jefus, and" your willingnefs to vifit the country, provided 
the way is open. Now, Sir, 1 can only fay, That my houfe, ami 
my heart, and my pulpit will be all open to receive you, provided, 
you will vifit us in this part of the world. 

t; I remain, with the utmofl refpeft, 
Dear, Sir, Your.fincere friend, 

Henry Pgole.'*" 



« Dear Si-r,. 

X HOUGH personally unknown, have taken the 
liberty, of addrefiing you with a few lines. I was lately in London^. 
and called to fee you ; but was told you were out of town. Have - 
for fome time had the pleafure of reading your Dialogues, much ta- 
my fatisfa&iom 

t; The fubjecl of Unk&rfdl Rtjiitution has for many years engaged 
my thoughts at times, and often appeared in an amiable light to my 
mind. It is a fubjecl: that redounds to the everlafling honor of 
God, and the everlafting felicity of the rational creature, who, wken-. 
delivered from mifery, mail be fully fenfible of the obligations due 
to the Deliverer, and confequently, fhall naturally be engaged in the, 
great and delightful work of praifing and honoring both the Au- 
thor and Accomplifher of the great lalvation. 

" My refidence is at Lyndhurft, in the New For eft, Hants, where I 
am , paftor over a little church of General Baptifts, of which denom- 
ination I am informed you are ; but be that as it may, it is no 
fmali pleafure to me to find, men, of whatever denomination, vin- 
dicate the guodnefs of God, in the manner it is done by the doc--- 
trine of Univerfal Reftoration. 

" Should. inclination or leifare ever favor your coming this way, . 
I know not who I fhall be. more happy to fee. and. enjoy. Permit' 
me to fubfcribe rayfelf, 

Your affectionate brother, 

■ In the Gofpel of univerfal love, 
% Adam Aldr, idge." 

Lpdhurft) December 4> 1789, 



PREFACE. 



" York, March 6, 1790. 

c< Rsv. and dear Sir, 

' T 

X HOPE you will excufe the freedom I have tak- 
en in writing to you. 

" I have f or feveral years embraced your fentiments, and have of- 
ten flood up in defence of them. 

<; I have frequently met with learned and candid men, who have 
given me much fatisfa&ion in this important fubject. Whea. 
your Dialogues were publifhed, I procured and read them with 
the greateft avidity. I found the iubject handled much to my 
mind. The ftrongeft objections raifed in all their weight and im- 
portance, and aniwered clearly and candidly. I read the book, 
ever and over, with frefh pleafure and fatisfaction. I ftudied the 
arguments, treafured them up in my memory, and determined to 
become a defender of this part of truth. My heart burnt in love to 
God and mankind. I found exalted views of God raifed exalted, 
{trains of gratitude and praife. It w T as one of the ftrongeft and 
mod attracting views that ever I met with fmce I knew the Sa- 
vior's love. I foon entered the field, and was obliged to prove 
my armor againft the ftrongeft objections, backed with prejudi- 
ces almoft of an invincible nature. When I was hard put to it, I 
had recourfe to your Magazine, and from thence brought forth new 
pieces of artillery. You willeafily fuppofe I had many trials from 
perfons of different diipofitions. By periuading ieverai of my ac- 
quaintance, Minifters of the Gofpel, to read over your book, I be- 
came an instrument of winning them over to the truth. 

4i One of my brethren in the miniftry ^prctefted much againft 
©ur notions, and declared he would never believe them. Knowing 
him to be a fenfible man, and one who might be wrought upon by 
the force of truth properly ftated, I u(cd ieverai arguments to per- 
fuade him to read the book. At length he confented, and faid, that 
he would do it to oblige me, but was determined not to believe it. 
I told him, it Would latisfy me for him to give it a candid read- 
ing. 

*-* When we met again, I began to inquire what he thought of 
the book, Ke paufed a little, and- then freely acknowledged the ef- 
fect that it had had upon him — He frankly declared that his Tefoiu- 
tion was juft the fame, as though toe had refolved to look up to the. 
Heavens when the fun (hone at noon, and not to believe that it fiione. 
I have fecretly engaged feveral. and find when they are fenfible. can- 
did men, they fall in with your fentiments at once. 

il I am acquainted with about half a fcore Minifters, Who firmly 
believe and h^artiiy embrace the doctrine ; befides many private 
shriitiaus of di£kr^n denomination Moil of us Minifters/ who 



PREFACE. 



fail in with your fentiments, are afraid of confefling them publicly, 
for this reaion. our people would thruft us out of the iynagogues, 
and we and our families might fuffer thereby. For my own part, 
I am determined to ftand by tins truth, whether I can continue my 
place among the people where I am or not. Rather than give up 
this (through grace) I would give up life. 

14 I have fo much zeal in my heart for the confirmation and ef- 
tablifhment of this truth, that I would, were it in my power, gladly 
profelyte ail men to embrace and enjoy the benefit of it. 

" I hope you will mufter up all your refolution, and ftand fortk- 
boldly again in vindication of the caufe of truth, and the moft glo- 
rious and nioft neglected part of that truth that all men ought to 
embrace. I fear left the enemy mall caufe a fhout of triumph if 
you refuie again to engage, and do not come forth to the help of the 
Lord againft the mighty. Pleafe to inform me if you want any 
help where you are ; I have fome little fortune, and w r ould engage 
in promoting the work of God, without being wholly dependent 
©n any people. 

" Direct to J. P. at Mr* John BrowrSs Bookfeller, Pocklington t 
York {lure. 

M Sincerely praying for the iuccefs of your labors, and your wel- 
hrz of body and mind, 

u I am in truth, your affectionate friend, 

And fervantin Christ Jzsus.' 3 



"Aylesbury, September 22, 1790. 
44 Rev. and dear SiR r 

" A . 

ijLN anxious defire of a more intimate acquaint- 
ance with you induces me to take this liberty of writing to you, 
hoping you will excuie my freedom ; undoubtedly it will appear 
ftrange, that one you never faw nor heard of, mould take fuch lib- 
erty. But as a foe to flattery, I juft give you this fhort account of 
my firft knowledge of you ; which was only by the hearing of the ear, 
"Something more than a year ago, I was' told that there was a 
preacher ju ft come to London, an Ameucunhy birth, who had under- 
taken to preach an Unkerfal Rejloration to loft fouls. As it was new 
to me, I was much furpriled at this ftrange account, and I thought 
and laid, {though with fome degree of candor) that I looked upon 
it to be fome one that could not dig, and was amamed to beg, fo to 
procure a living he had written this book. Here I refted for ibme 
-iaie, thinking that aiuch hurt would, be done thereby; tiilfhe laft 



xxii 



P RE'F A C E. 



time I faw Mr. Atkins 9 (who I underftand is now in connexion 
■with you) he gave me Come further account of you and your doc- 
trine, But I could not underftand it from his account ; yet he per~ 
fifted I fhould believe it, if I was to read your Dialogues. I told 
him I would give them a fair reading, if I could fee them. Still 
L entertained the fame ftrange idea as before. The next account! 
had was from a young man of BerMampJlead, who came to fee me ? 
and in our difcourfe, I faid. " Some of your people have imbibed 
a new doctrine, I hear." He faid, " Yes, and I verily believe it a 
truth." I was now more furp riled than before ; but he faid, if L 
was to fee it he had no doubt but I mould believeitalfo. " Well," 
faid I " if I could fee the book I would lay prejudice afide, and 
give it a fair reading, let it be what it may." He very kindly told 
me, that as foon as he could get it home, (for he had lent it to a 
friend) he would fend it to me. I thanked him, and promifed to 
read it impartially, knowing that where party fpirit reigns, blind-- 
nefs takes place. , , 

"According to promife, he fent the book ; and as I had done 
before. I now laid the matter before the Lord, with this petition, 
that he would not fuffer me to be milled, or wander out of the 
way, as L knew that he knew my defire and intention. I was de- 
livered from fear, and with candor and confidence I began'to read 
my new book, and to my great aft on ifh merit, yet to my greater joy ? - 
I found what I had many times wifhed for fecretly in my heart, 
namely, the poflibility of a releafe for thofe poor fufferers, and not 
©nly fo, but likewife the certainty of it ; for as I read on, I could 
not but fee, that it was the determination of Jehovah to make all 
men, as his creatures, happy in himfelf. O with what eyes did F 
now view the Deity, and what ideas did I entertain of him to what 
I had ever done before ! (though I was on the general plan) O how 
my foul was filled with love ! what gratitude did I feel to that God j 
who I now faw fo leved all his creatures, as to give his only Son to 
die, with a pure defign to glorify himfelf in the falvation of every 
ioul ! I now faw him* a God of love indeed, but it is out of my 
power to tell fully the happy eff eel it had, and has now upon my 
mind ; but H is fomething like what I experienced, when the Lord 
nrft fet my foul at liberty ; as I v/as then fwailowed up, as in the 
yifion of God, But the bignefs of this meet is not fumcient to tell 
you all I could wifh, but I truft I fhall fee you in perfon, as I 
mould efteem it a privilege indeed to hear you preach, and to con— 
veiie with you, and I fully intended coming to London about lafl 
May, on purpofe, but as I had already a large family, which, through 
the Hefting of God, I maintain with my labor ; finding it likely to 
increafe, I could not w T ell fpare time to come, or I had been with 
you at that feafon, as I had nothing elfe in my way to hinder. Mr. 
John Holder^ of Tring, an acquaintance of mine, has lent me a few 
Iktte trails of yours, which I am now reading with pleafure and 



PREFAC E. 



xx Hi 



-profit, and he has kindly offered himfelf to accompany me at any 
time that I mall appoint to corne and fee you, but the fame difficult- 
ly is now in the way as before. If ever Providence mould open a 
way, I mail gladly embrace the opportunity. Though I have no 
doubt of the truth of the doctrine of the Redo ration, as to myfelf, I 
have never fpoke of it in public as yet, not knowing whether that 
may be the belt way to make this glorious falvation known ; but I 
have fpoke to feveral of the people in private, thofe whom I judged 
•to have the beft understanding, and the moft candor ; and mod of 
thefe feem to be glad at the news, and my own wife in particular 
it with all thankfulnefs, and joins with me in love to you and yours, 
(Though very ill at this time.) If it will not be attended with too 
much trouble, pleafe to fend -sie your Dialogues, bound, by the 
Aykfbury ftage coach. I have given the coachman an order to pay 
the expenfe. As I ftandlike yourfelf (in this refpect) unconnected 
with any party, (though I was with Mr. Wcjley's people twelve 
years) I am now free, I truft from bigotry and prejudice, open to 
conviction, and willing for instruction. A few lines from you 
will be gratefully acknowledged, and thankfully received, by 
your affectionate, though moil unworthy, may I fay 3 brother is 
trChrift, 

u Thomas Higgins.'* 

P. S. " I pray God of his mercy to give you all the wifdom that 
you need, to make this great falvation more fully known, as I be- 
lieve he hath raifed you up for this purpofe, and that a double por- 
tion of his Spirit may reft upon you, and that your labors may be 
crowned with more abundant fuccefs, till the Sun of Righteouf- 
nefs is feen in his full ftrength, and with all his ability to 
fave. 

" Direct to Thomas Higgins, Aykfbury Bucks." 



I take the liberty of publifhing thefe Letters, with the names and 
-places of abode of the writers, as a kind of beginning of that general 
acquaintance, which I mould wifh to fee tike place among all the 
friends of this doctrine in thefe kingdoms, I know feveral other 
Minifters in England, who believe and preach the Univcrfal Reflor- 
ation, and I truft their numbers will increafe. In America, where I 
once ftood almoft in thefe views alone, (among thofe who fpeak the 
"Englifh tongue) there are now many who teitify this Gofpel of the 
free univerfal grace of God, and they have formed a connexion of 
focieteis on this plan, who meet by their J&eprcfentatives in corrven- 

ttoa 



5GS3V 



P REFAC E. 



^lon yearly, at Philadelphia, and I could wifii a plan of the fame 

lure might fee adopted in this country. If any thing that I have 
fpoken or written may be of ufe to my fellow creatures, and may 

tend to promote the glory of God, and the interell of the dear Re- 
deemer in the world, I fhall have the faiisfa&ian to reflecl:, that I 

:have net wholly lived in vain. 

Lex box , April 2, 1792, 




CONTENTS 



CONTENTS of the DIALOGUES. 



DIALOGUE I. 

'ObJECTION.— That the v/ords everlafting, etemai, Be. are ap» 
plied to the punifhment of the wicked. 

Answer.— Thefe words are but feldom applied to the mifery of 
the wicked ; being connected therewith only twice in the Old Teftl 
ument, and but fix times in the New ; and are full as often connect- 
ed with things and times that certainly have had, or will have an end, 
as thevare with the mifery of the wicked, &c. 

Objection. — But the words/cr ever and ever, are applied to the 
mifery of trie wicked. &c, 

Answer.— This is a very ftrong phrafe, and would be judged 
-unanswerable, but for certain considerations. 

i, if the phrafe forever and ever intends any period or periods 
longer than the word forever, then there mud be a proportion. £:c. 
«2. This phrafe as applied to future mifery cannot intend endiefs du- 
ration. 3. It is more than probable that the lake of fire, in which 
die wicked will be punifhed with the fecond death, will be the earth 
difTolved by the general conflagration, 8zc. 

Object ion.— -Jwa<?r when applied to things of this lifeand World 
may end, butbeingapplied to things of another ftate viuft mean cndlefs, 

Answer.— The ^'ord forever applied to ipiiitual things, and cir= 
^umftanoes of another ftate rauft not be always underitood to mean 
enilejs. 

Obj ECTiON.— But does not the phrafe forever and ever, in the 
'New Teftament always intend endiefs t 

Answer. — It doth not. An undeniable inftance brought in 
^roof, to which feveral more might have been added. 

Objection. — But is not the Scripture chargeable with a defign 
to miilead men in thefe words when applied to future mifery, un- 
lefs they intend cndlefs duration ? And does the limiting thefe words 
accufe Chrift of duplicity and deceit in his threatenings ? 

The Hebrew word rendered everlafzing properly intends a hidden 
duration, or period, but not€«i/<?/i. 

Objection. — The fame word everlafling or eternal is in the very- 
fame verfe applied both to the mifery of the wicked and to the hap = 
pinefs of the righteous. 

Answer. — The very fame word is in other places applied to vr» 
TV different things, who fe natures and dura-dons are intirely diffimilar* 

Objection. — But upon the fuppofitioa that the doctrine of end* 
lefs damnation was true, in what manner rc: 6 :ht one expect it to b« 
etcpreffed in the Bible ? 

c . 



SXVI 



CONTEXTS. 



Answer. — If it was true, there could be no promifes, intima- 
tions, or even diftant hints to the contrary. And it is therefore 
fnewn to be falfe by a number of pofitive proofs. If there were 
not promifes and intimations of the General Rejloraticn in the Scrip- 
ture, the doctrine of endlefs damnation might be then concluded to 
be true, however dark- but the endlefs happinefs of the righteous is 
fet forth in much ftronger language, and with more abundant force 
of expreftion. 

The endlefs happinefs of the righteous Hands upon fuch founda- 
tions that can never be overthrown or deftroyed ; fuch as their indif- 
ioluble union with the original fource of life and happinefs ; their 
being heirs of God. and joint heirs with Chrift, and the promiie 
that they fhall live becaufe he lives ; and his life is truly endlefs. 

Objection. — That fmce the wicked have chofen evil and perfe- 
vered in it through life, it is become a fixed habit in them, from 
which it would leem as impomble to reclaim them, as to draw off 
the juft from their attachment to God and goodnefs. 

Answer. — This reafoning is founded upon the old pagan fyf- 
tem of good and evil being two eternal coexifting principles. 

All men are God's creatures, and therefore he will not contend 
forever, nor be always wroth with the fouls that he hath made. 

Satan's kingdom and all evil fhall be deftroyed, and therefore 
endlefs mijery cannot have the fame permanent foundation as endlefs 
habfdnefs. 

Two things diametrically opponte to each other cannot both exift 
together to all eternity. 

Objection. — But does not the word frequently intend apart 

only ? 

Answered. — 3y giving certain never failing rules, whereby it 
may be known when the word all means ftriclly all, or the whole 
univerfally without any exception ; confirmed by plain inftances 
out of St. Paul's writings. 

Objection. — That perhaps by all things being put under Chrift, 
nothing farther may be meant than their being brought into a Hate of 
forced iubjection, or made fubject. to his controul. 

Answer. — They are now put under him in this refpe£t., but they 
are not yet put under him in the fenfe that they fhall be, which im- 
plies a ftate of willing iubjection. 

The word many frequently means all. 

Ail things were created by Chrift ; all rebellious beings fhall be 
fuhdued by him, and all without exception mail be reconciled by 
him. and through him to God. 

DIALOGUE II. 

Ob jectiqn. — Of the worm that dieth not, and the unquenchable 
fire, five times threatened by our Lord Jefus Chrift in one paftage. 

Answered. — By reference to the words in the prophely of 
Ifaiah ? to which our Lord probably alluded. 



C O N TENT S, 



PaiTages from the prophets brought to ftiew a literal accomplish- 
ment of the original words. 

The dreadful threatenings of future mifery to the wicked, impli- 
ed in thofe words of our Savior. They fnall be publicly pun- 
ifhed and tormented in the lake of fire, which ib the earth in its 
melted or diffolved ilate. 

Neverthelets, there fhall be a new creation of the earth, and Co th's 
lake of lire fnall ceafe. 

Many inftances of fires mentioned in Scripture, of which it was 
faid, they /kill not be quenched, which yet have ceaied long ago. 

And of thofe fires whole imoke is laid to alcead up for ever. 

Things contrary are often predicated of the lame places and people, 
and rauft be underflood as occurring at different times. 

Our Lord's words of every one being falted with fire considered. 

Objection. — All the fires above mentioned were on earth, 
and in time ; but the fire of hell, being in eternity, can never go out, 
or ceafe to burn to all endlefs duration. 

Answer. — Thofe fires on earth that were never to be quenched did 
not continue to burn as long as the earth remained ; and therefore there 
is no necemtyof granting that the fire of hell fnall burn to all eternity. 

Punifhments belong only to the ages of ages before Chriit (hall 
have delivered up the kingdom to the Father. 

Objection. — The blafphemy agaiaft the Holy Gholl fhall nev- 
er be forgiven, &c. 

Answered. — 1 By (hewing what this fin is, Sec. 2. All that 
bears the name of death (hall be deftroyed, and all forrow, crying, 
and pain, fhall ceaie and be no more. 3.. Where fin abounded 
grace (hall much more abound. 

Objection. — The deplorable cafe of Efau. 

Answer. — He loft the birthright, and the peculiar privileges that 
belonged to the firft born, but yet he had a blefiing from his father 
of a lower degree. 

The great, difference, between them was more fulfilled in their 
pofterity than in their own persons. 

Love and hatredare fometimes only comparative^ and not pofi- 
tive terms., and only imply a preference of one to the other. 

Objection. — The great gulph between the region of happinefs- 
and mifery is impafiible. 

Answer. — Chrift has palled- it, when he went and preached to 
the fpirits in prifon, who were difobedient in the days of Noah. 

This proves a ftate of conicious exiftence after the death of the body, 

The rich man feems to have had companion towards his brethren. 

The Scriptures conftantly hold out puniffiment in proportion to 
the fins committed in the prefent life. 

Objection. — -The cafe of Judas, of whom Jefug laid, ' : Good 
were it for that man that he had never been born." 

Answer. — 1. This was a proverbial faying. 2. Both Job and 
Jeremiah curfed the day of their birth ? and wifhed they had never 



"X XV ill 



CONTENTS, 



Wen born. 3. Solomon declares an untimely birth to be far bet- 
ter than the longeft and moil profperous life of one whole foul is 
not filled with good, and who hath no burial. 4. If Judas had di- 
td before he was born he would have efcaped all earthly trouble, 
2nd future mifery, and would have been immediately happy, 
5. The Jews as much rejected and doomed to wee as Judas. 

DIALOGUE III. 

Objection. — That the doctrine of the Reftoration tends to 1U 
centioufnefs, and is calculated to encourage the wicked to a contin- 
uance in their evil ways, &c. 

Answered. — Firft, by mewing the principles upon which the 
doctrine of the Reftoration is founded. :. God is the Creator of all. 
2. His benevolence is univerfal. 3. Chrift died for all without ex- 
ception. 

Objection. — That Chrift did not die for all, becaufe he did 

not pray for all. 

Answer. — This objection is entirely groundlefs; for, though in 
one place he prays exclufively for his apoftles, yet a little after he 
prays for all that mould believe on him, through their word, &c« 
4. Another of the firft principles on which the doctrine of the uni- 
verfal Reftoration is founded, is the unchangeablenefs of God. 5. 
The immutability of his counfels ; confirmed by his oath, 6. That 
God hath given all things into the hands of Chrift, and that nothing 
that is given to him mall be loft, 7. That the Scriptures muft be 
fulfilled, and that none of theiti can be broken. 

Secondly, It is proved that the doctrine of the Reftoration cannofc 
lead to lioentioufnefs, becaufe it is perfectly confiftent with experU 
mental religion. Queries afked upon this fubject. A little (ketch 
of the author's experience. Queries fubmitted to the confederation 
of all experienced Chriftians. Inference deduced therefrom in fa- 
vor of the doctrine of the Reftoration. 

Thirdly , It is proved, that the doctrine of the Reftoration does not 
lead to licentioufnefs, by its tendency to practical religion. 1. We 
are commanded to love all mankind, even our enemies. 2. To do 
good to all. 3. To forgive all that trefpafs againft us. 4. To pray 
for all men, that they may be faved and come to the knowledge of 
the truth. 

The belief of the R.eftoration fo far from preventing us from thefe 
things, enables us to perform them with pleafure and confiftency. 
■ Ail mall be redo red at laft by the blood of Chrift. 

Fourthly, It is proved, That the doctrine of the Reftoration is ac- 
cording to godlineis, becaufe the belief of it tends to fill our hearts 
with all amiable tempers, &c. 

Fifthly, Tha^ doctrine of the Reftoration is vindicated, from the 
charge of licentioufnefs, by an appeal to facts, efpecially by the ami- 
able conduct of the Tankers, or German Baptifts, in America^ who* 
univerfally hold thefe fentiments. 



d O N TENTS. 



Reply to thofe who call this the doctrine which Satan taught Eve 
in the Garden. 

Dr. Whitby's grand objection, That the unbeliever (hall not fee 
life, anfwered. 

Objection. — -The doctrine of endlefs punifhment faid to be the 
ftrongeft poflible reftraint upon fin. 

Answered. — i. By {bowing that God doth not always lay the 
greateft poflible reftraint upon fin. 2. The idea of limited punifh- 
ment by appearing more juft and reafonable to the mind, is more 
calculated to reftrain fin and iniquity than the doctrine of endlefs 
mifery, 3. That in fact, though the greater part have profeffed to 
believe endlefs damnation, yet their belief appears not to have much 
reftrained them from fin. 4. The great number of heathen people 
tkat die without ever hearing the Gofpel, infants, ideots, perfons 
bom deaf, &c. render it probable that many are reclaimed in a future 
Rate. 5. That the intention of God is not fa much to reftrain fin, 
as to fhow its enormity ; and finally to deftroy it out of the unU- 
verfe. 6. If the doctrine of the Restoration fhould be abufed, that 
can be no argument againfl it, as the Gofpel itfelf has been perverted, 
yet is the greateft blefling to mankind ; therefore it is evident that 
this glorious doctrine cannot juftly be charged with the leaft tenden- 
cy towards licentioufnefs. 

Objection. — It would not be prudent in God. even if he in-- 
tended finally to' reft ore the wicked, to let them know his gracious 
defigns beforehand ; it is time enough to let them know his gracious 
purpofes towards them, when his former threaten ings have failed c€ 
their effect, but not before. 

Answered. — God has thought it the abounding of his wifdom and 
prudence to make known to his faints this myftery of his will, even 
his purpofe to rehead all things in Chriit. This difcovery is chief- 
ly intended for the comfort and fatisfaction of the good, and not for 
the encouragement of the bad. 

God has frequently mixed promifes of great mercies with threat- 
enings of terrible judgments ; yet his threatenings are not thereby 
weakened. 

Objection. — The doctrine of the Refto ration feems not very 
plainly revealed in the Scri pture, or it would not have been fo long 
hidden from fo many great and good men. 

Answer. — Things that have been plainly revealed, have been ftill 
hidden from great and good men; as the death and refurre&iofi of 
Chrift. 

Question. — But how comes this man to know better than all the' 
world ? Sec. 

Answer. — The charge denied. Many have known, believed ? 
preached and defended it. 

The doctrine of endlefs mifery is one principal caufe of ins difa«- 
gxeemejit among Chriftians, 



CONTENTS, 



DIALOGUE IV. 

Objection'. — Chrift threatens the Jews that they mould die in 
their fins, and that they could not come whither he went. 

Answer. — OurLord told his difciples themselves that whither he 
went, they could not come, that is. then, as afterwards explained. 

2. There are bleffings promifed in fcripture. to all Iirael, without 
exception. 

3. Thofe that have been re jetted and caft off mall at laft return*, 

and be received. 

Object ion. — That the blemngs promifed only refpeel; thofe that 
(hall be found alive on the earth at a certain time. 
. Answer. — The inhabitants of Sodom. Samaria and Jerufalem, 
with their daughters, or neighboring cities, fhall all be reftored, 
though deftroyed long ago. 

2. That all things are given to Chrift, without exception ; and 
that all that are given fhall at laft come to iiim in fuch a manner as 
not to be caft out. From which premifes, the Universal Reftora-. 
tion is inferred, and proved to be certainly true. 

Obj fction. — God fware in his wrath that the Ifraelites fhould 
not enter into his reft. 

Answer. — The reft was the land of Canaan, being typical of the 
rime of the Millennium, or Chrift's reign on earth, and not of the 
ultimate ftate of happinefs.„ 

Objection. — There are fome of whom we read , That he that, 
made them will not have mercy upon them, and he that formed 
them will (hew them no favor. 

Answer. — Thefe words muft necefTarily be underftood with fome.^ 
limitation, and refer to a particular feafon, when they mail have judg- 
ment without mercy, but finally mercy fhall rejoice againft judg~_. 
merit. 

Obj egt 1 ok.— That the wicked mail never fee light* 

Answer. — -Not until fubdued, or overcome, as the words ought, 

~tc be rendered. 

Objection. — A great ranfem cannot deliver thofe who are taken, 
away by the ftroke of God. 

Answer. —The great ranfom cannot intend the blood of Chrift, 
the power of which is unlimited, but gold, and all the forces of 
ftrength, riches, wifdom, &c. none of thefe can deliver their poffeff- 
ers from death. 

Objection. — Solomon fays. That there is no work, nor device, 
nor knowledge, nor wifdom in the grave ; and, that in the place where 
the tree folieth. there it fhall be. 

Answer. — The firft part of this objection refpe&s only the ftate of 
the bpdy in the grave, but cannot be brought to difprove the con- 
fcioufnefs of the foul in a feparate ftate. the refurrection of the body,, 
a future ftate of evidence, or the final Reftoration. 

The fecond part of th ? objection has not the kaft relation to the fub-a 
$$& j but belongs to quite another matter*. 



FAMILIAR DIALOGUES 

BETWEEN A 



MINISTER & HIS FRIEND, 



DIALOGUE I. 

Friend T ta ^ en ^ € freedom to call upon 

A you, to have a little difcourfe with you 
concerning the do&rine of the Rejloration oj all 
Things, which it is faid you believe; and to pro- 
pofe feme objections. 

Minijfer. I am happy to fee you, and am wil- 
ling to difcourfe, as well as I am able, upon any 
fubjefi that may be agreeable ; but I have always 
made it a rule never to prefs the belief of my fen- 
timents upon my friends ; and I can fafely fay, that, 
though fuch great pains have been taken by my 
adverfaries to prejudice people againft me, I have 
never gone about from houfe to houfe to propagate 
my opinions ; and I make it an univerfal rule not 



Dialogues on the 



to introduce the fubjeft in converfation, tmlefs de» 
iired ; but yet I never have rcfufed to own my fen- 
timents, when afked, refpe&ing the matter ; and 
am ready, in the fear of God, to anfwer any ob- 
jefliohs that can be made, to a doftrine which I 
believe is plainly revealed in the Scriptures of truth, 
and appears to me worthy of God. 

Friend. I fhall firft of all bring to view that 
grand objection, which is formed from the word 
eternal or everlajling, being applied to a future ftate 
of punifhment ; as in the following paffages ; 
Ifaiah xxxiii. 14. " The finners in 4 Zion are afraid, 
fearfulnefs hath furprized the hypocrites. Who 
among us fhall dwell with the devouring fire ?- 
Who among us fhall dwell with ever iajling burn- 
ings ? 

Dan. xii. 2. " And many of them that fleep in 
the duft of the earth fhall awake, fome to cverlafl- 
ing life, and fome to fhame and everlafling con- 
tempt/' 

Sr. Matt, xviii. 8. " Wherefore, if thine hand or 
thy foot offend thee (or caufe thee to offend) cut 
them off, and caft them from thee ; it is better for 
thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than 
having two hands, or two feet, to be caft into ever-* 
Iajling fire." 

St. Matt. xxv. 41. " Then (hall he fay alfo unto 
them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curf- 
ed, into everlafling fire, prepared for the devil 
and his angels." Verfe 46, " Thefe fhall go away 
into everlajling punifhment ; but the righteous in- 
to life eternal or everlajling" — The fame word 
in the original being ufed for both, though varied 
hy the tranflatcrs. 

Sto 



Urdverfal Rejloration. 



85 



St. Mark, iii. 29. " But he that fhall blaf- 
pheme againft the Holy Ghoft, hath never for- 
givenefs ; but is in danger of eternal damna- 
tion." 

2 Thef. i. 7,8,9. "The Lord Jefus fhall be 
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in 
flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that 
know not God, and that obey not the gofpel of 
our Lord Jefus Chrift; who fhall be punifhed with 
everlajling deftruftion, from the prefence of the 
Lord, and from the glory of his power." 

Jude, 6, 7. " And the Angels which kept not 
their fir ft eftate, but left their own habitation, he 
hath referved in everlajling chains under darknefs, 
unto the judgment of the great day : Even as 
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them 
in like manner, giving themfelves over unto for- 
nication, and going after ftrange flefh, are fet forth 
for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal 
fire." 

Thefe texts, together, form fuch an objeflion to 
the doftrine of the Reftoration, that I can by no 
means believe it, unlefs this can be fairly anfwer- 
ed, and proofs brought from the Scriptures to 
(hew, that the words everlajling and eternal, (which 
are tranflations of the fame word and fynonimous) 
being conne&ed with the punifhment of the 
wicked, and their future mifery, do not neceffa- 
riiy imply the continuance of the fame while God 
exifts, 

Minijler. I am glad that you have fo fairly and 
fully ftated the matter ; and I highly commend 
your refolution, not to believe the univerfal doc- 
trine, unle{s this can be anfwered fully, without 
any torturing or twilling the Scriptures ; and if I 

am 



i 



Dialogues on the 



am not able, with God's affiftance, to remove 
this difficulty, I will publicly recant my fenti- 
xnents. 

But, before I come to give a direft anfwer, I 
would beg leave to remark how very feldom this 
word is ufed to exprefs the duration of punilhment. 
We mould think, by fome fermons we hear, that 
■tver lofting is applied to miferv in every book of the 
New Teltamentj if not in every chapter. A friend 
of mine told me, that he was once preaching in 
Maryland, and after fermon a man came and aiked 
him, oi what denomination he was ? To which he 
anfwered, A Baptift. I think, fays the man, that 
you do not preach up fo much everlajling damnation, 
as the Baptifts and methodifts, among us do. To 
which my friend replied, Everlafling damnation is 
found in the Scripture. True, anfwered the man ; 
but fome preachers give us more of it in one fer- 
mon than is to be found in the whole Bible. The 
truth ©f this remark will appear, if we confider that 
St. Luke, never ufes the word aionion, or iveriaft* 
ing, as connefted with the mifery of the wicked, 
in his gofpel ; nor St. Mark but once, and then 
in a particular cafe only : In the gofpel of St. John, 
it is not to be found at all, in that connexion, nor 
in any of his epiftles : In the account of the 
preaching of the apoftles through the world, in 
thefirft age of Chriftianity, we do not find it men- 
tioned, in that light, fo much as once : No, not in 
all the fermons, and parts of fermons, which St. 
Luke has preferved in the Book of the A£ts ; 
though the doctrine of: everlajling damnation is the 
fubftance of many modern difcourfes. St. Paul 
never mentions everlajling dejlruclion but once, 
though his writings form" fuch a confiderable part 



Univerfal RefioratiGn. 



37 



of the New Teftament. Neither are fuch words 
found in the epiflle of St. James, or in thofe of St. 
Peter ; and but three times in the gofpel of St, 
Matthew : And only twice in all the Old Tefta- 
ment. But was the word aionion applied to mifery 
but once, in the whole Bible, it would deferve a 
ferious confederation ; and unlefs the force of it 
can be removed by the authority of Scripture, it 
muft remain an unanfwerable objection. But Ifhall 
proceed to anfwer it, by bringing an equal number 
ofpaffages where the word everlajling is applied 
to things and times, that have had, or muft have, 
an end. As in the following paiTages : Gen. xvii. 
7,8. " And I will eftablifn my covenant between 
me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their gen- 
erations, for an everlajling covenant : to be a God 
unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. And I 
will give unto thee, and to thy feed after thee, 
the land wherein thou art a flranger, all the 
. land of Canaan, for an everlajling pcfTeiTion ; 
and I will be their God.' 5 Verie 13. M He that 
is born in thy houfe, and bought with thy mo- 
ney, muft needs be circumcifed ; and my cove- 
nant mail be in your fiefh for an everlajling cove- 
nant. 

Here note, that the land of Canaan is called 
an everlajling poiTeffioa \ and the covenant of cir- 
cumcifion in their flefh, an everlajling covenant, 
though it is certain that the land of Canaan, as 
weli as the other parts of the earth muff be dif- 
folved or melted, in the general conflagration ; and 
arcumafion is now declared null and void by the 
Holy Ghoft ; and the ceremony cannot endure to 
endlefs ages, 

D Ot 



38 



Dialogues en tht 



Of the fame kind are the following palTagesi 
Gen, xlviii. 3, 4. " And Jacob faid unto Jofeph, 
God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in the 
land of Canaan, and blelTed me ; and faid unto 
me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and mul- 
tiply thee, and i will make of thee a multi- 
tude of people.; and will give this land to thy 
feed after thee, for an everlajiing pofTeffion." — 
And in the hlefling of Jofeph, he fays, 46 The 
bleflings of thy father have prevailed above the 
bleflings of my progenitors, unto the utmofi 
bound of the everlajiing hills. " By which, I 
fupnofe, the hills of the land of .Canaan were 
meant. 

God faith to Mofes, Exod. xl. 15. " And thou 
(halt anoint them (Aaron's fons) as thou did 
anoint their father, that they may miniller unto 
me in the priefl's office ; for their anointing (hail 
furely be an everlajiing prieflhood, throughout 
their generations." Lev. xvi. g^. And this 
{hall be an everlajiing ftatute unto you, to make 
an atonement for the Children of Ifrael, for all 
their fins, once a year.; and he did as Jehovah 
.commanded Mofes. ,; 

The apoflle declares, that thefe everlajiing ordi- 
nances were only till tht tune of reformation^ Heb. 
ix. 10. .And this everlajiing prieflhood of Aaron's 
fons has ceafed long ago.: " F©r the prieflhood 
being changed, (by Chriil) there i$, of necef- 
fity a change alfo of the law : Tor he of whom 
ihefe things are fpoken, pertaineth to another 
tribe, of which no man .gave attendance at the 
altar : For it is evident, that our Lord fprang 
cu ot Judah ; of which tribe Mofes fpake noth- 
ing concerning prieflhood. And it is yet far 

more 



% .'-if-'' 

Vniverfal Reft oration, 39 



more evident : For that, after the fimilitude of 
Meichifedek, there arifeth another prieft, who is 
made not after the law of a carnal command- 
ment, but after the power of an endlefs life : For 
he teftifieth, Thou art a prieft for ever, after the 
order of Melchefidec : For there is verily a dis- 
annulling of the commandment going before 
for the weaknefs^ and unprofitableness thereof/' 
Heb. vii. 12 — 18. The whole fum of the apoflle's 
argument, in this epiftle, tends to prove, that the 
ever lofting ordinance is now no more ; and ihzever. 
lofting priefthood of Aaron and his fons,< is now 
a-boiiihed. 

Another paffage where the word ever lofting is^ 
evidently ufed in a limited fenfe, is, Numb. ■ xxv. 
11, i2 ? 13, where we read thus : es Phinehas, the 
fon of Jileazar, the fon of Aaron the prieft, hath 
turned my wrath away from the Children of If- 
rael while be was zealous for my fake among 
them, that I confirmed not the Children of Ifrael 
in my j^eaioufy. Wherefore fay, Behold, 1 give 
unto him my covenant of peace : And he (hall 
have it, and his feed after- him, even the cove- 
nant of an tverlajling prieflhood ; becaufe he was 
zealous for his -God, and made an atonement for 
the Children of Ifrael." 

If the word everlafting intends endk/s duration, 
how fhall we be able to reconcile this promife 
with the total ceffation of the Levhica] prieflhood ? 
As for the family of Phinehas, with whom this 
covenant of an everlajling prieflhood was made, it 
was entirely deprived of the benefit of the fame, 
within the fpace oi four hundred years : For when 
the fons of Eli tranfgreffed the covenant, by pro- 
faning it, God feat him word, that as they had 

broken 



40 



Dialogues on the 



broken it on their parts, it was entirely, and to all 
intents and purpofes & Solved. Read i Sam. ii. 
from the beginning of the 12th verfe to the end of 
the 1 7 ih, and tram the 27th verfe to the end of the 
chapter : And alio, chap, iii, 11, 12, 13, 14.. 

I will transcribe verfe 30, of the fecond chapter, 
in proof of my point. " Wherefore, Jehovah, 
God of Ifrael, faith, I faid, indeed, that thy 
houfe, and the houfe of thy father fhouid walk 
before me for ever : But now Jehovah faith, Be 
it Ear from me, for them that honor me, I will 
honor ; and they that defpife me, fhall be light** 
iv eiteemed/' Hophni, and Phinehas, were foon 
alter flain in one day ; and Saul, the king of Ifrael, 
lent Doeg, the Edomite, who fell upon the priefts, 
and flew fourfcore and five perfons, who wore a 
linen c-phod, in one day. 44 And Nob, the city of 
the priefts, fmote he with the edge of the fvvord ; 
both men, and women, and children, and fuck- 
lings, and oxen, and a lies, and Iheep, with the 
edge of the fword." I Sam. xxi ; . 19. The whole 
houfe ot Phinehas feems to have been deflroyed at 
this time, except Abiathar ; and when Solomon 
came to the throne, he thru ft him out from being 
prierr, " that he might fulfil the word of Jeho- 
vah, which he fpake concerning the houfe of 
Eli, in Shiloh/' 1 Kings, ii. 27. From this time, 
the houfe of Ithamar had the priefthood. 

It is fo evident that the word which is tranflated 
cverlafling, cannot in the nature of things, abfo- 
l.utely fignify, without end, that i fhould not think 
it worth while to quote any morepaffages in proof 
of its intending age, or ages, only, were it not con- 
fiantly ufed as a great objection againft the uni- 
verfal Relloration ; I (hail, therefore, inftanee two 

or 



Univerfal Refhration. 



or three more in particular, in this place, and re- 
fer to a great number of others, of the lame kind ; 
all tending to prove the fame thing. Hab. iii. 6. 
" The everlajling mountains were Scattered, the 
perpetual hills did bow." The gofpe! is called, 
thee tvtHa fiing gof p el," Rev. xiv. 6, yet it muft 
ceafe to be preached, when it fhall be needed no 
longer. Jonah, faith, " The earth with her bars 
was about me, for ever ; yet haft thou brought 
up my life from corruption ; O Jehovah, my 
God." Jonah, ii. 6. But it would be the 
higheft abfurdity ; upon the fuppofition that the 
word Legnolam,- here rendered,, for ever, properly., 
fignifies without end, for him to fay, that his life 
was brought up from corruption ; and, therefore, • 
we know .that he could not ufe it in that fenfe, be-- 
caufe, on. the. third day, he was delivered from his 
dreadful prifon, There is no doubt but the time 
that he was there, feemed an age, and, while he 
was thus fhut up, there was no intermiffion to the 
darknefs, and diftrefs, that overwhelmed him ; 

nd, therefore he might fay, with propriety, that 
the earth, with her bars, was about him, for ev- 
-r," (i. e, perpetually without ceffation J during the 
period he remained in the fihYs belly ; .which ap- 
peared to him, as a long age indeed.' But, as it 
would be- a work .of much time and labor to men- 
tion all the paffages where the word tranflated for 
ever, evidently intends only an age, or period, I 
fhall juft direci you to the following; which you 
may look over at your leifure. 

Gen. xiii. xliii. 9. xliv. 32. — Exod. xii. 14, 
17. 24. xxi. 6. xxvii. 21. xxviii. 43. xxix. 9, 28. 
xxx. 21. xxxi. 16, 17. xxxii. 13. — Lev. iii. 17. 
vi. 13, 18, 20, 22. vii. 34, 36. x, 9, 15, xvi. 29, 



4 2 



Dialogues en the 



31. xxiii. 14, 21,31,41. xxiv. 3. xxv. 30, 46.— 
Numb, x. 8. xv. 15. xviii. 8, 19. xix. 10. — 
Deut. iv, 40. xv. 17. xviii. 5. xxviii. 46. — Jolhua 
iv. 7. xiv. g. — 1 Sam. ii. 30. iii. 13. xxvii. 12. 
xxviii. 2. — 1 Kings, xii. 7. — 2 Kings,, v. 27.— 
2 Chron. x. 7. 

Here are more than fifty paffages, where the 
word rendered for ever intends only age, or ages ; 
to which many more might be added. 

Now, the rule for underflanding words is- this \ 
What mufl be the meaning of the word, in ?nany 
places, and what may be the meaning in a ll ; is the 
true fenfe of the fame. 

Friend. Although the fingle word forever, in 
ihefe paffages, feems evidently to intend certain 
unknown, limited, periods ; yet, what can you do 
with thcfe texts that fay, the mifery of the wicked 
frail endure for ever and ever ? 

Mimjler. Indeed, they are terrible threatnlngs 
and, no doubt, will be fully executed. 

Friend. But, do you imagine that fuch paffages 
as the following can intend lefs than endlefs mifery? 
Rev. xiv. ii. <{ And the fmoke of their torment 
afcendeth up, fcr ever and ever / and they have no 
reft day nor night, who worlhip the beart and. 
his image, and whofoever receiveth the mark of 
his naaai/ 1 Rev. xix. 3. 11 And here fmoke rofe 
up for ever and ever J" P-ev. xx. io, "And the 
devil, that deceiveth them, was cafl into the 
lake of fire and brimftone, where the beaft and the 
falfe prophet are, and mall be tormented, day and 
night, for ever and ever" 

Mimjler, I confefs. voir have propofed a diffi- 
culty that i ihould judge to be unanfwerable, were 
k not for the following coflfiderations ; 

ijl, IB 



Univerfal Refloration* 43 

ifl. If forever and ever is a longer time than for 
ever, which muft be granted ;:; then is there fome 
proportion between them 1 Thus, if for ever intends 
an age, period, or fometimes ages ; forever and ever, 
may intend age s, an. age of ages, or ages of ages ; But 
any proportion at all between two periods, fuppofes- 
both to have an end, or there could be- v.q proper* 
iion. 

2dly, I find a time prornifed, when, " there ihall 
be no more death ; neither forrow nor crying ; 
neither fhall there be any more pain ; for the for. 
mer things are (or ihall then be) pafTed away. 
And he that fat upon the throne faid, Behold, : 
I make all things new. And he faid unto me, 
(John) Write ; for thefe words are true and .faith-, 
fcl*" "'Rev. xxi. 4, 5, 

3«7y. I think there is fufficient reafon, from the 
words of St. Peter, in his fecond epiule, third chap- 
ter* 5> 6, : 7, io, ii, 12 verfes, to conclude, that 
as the earth was once overflowed with water, and 
became truly a lake of water, wherein the world of 
ungedly. men perithed ; fo, by the general confla- 
gration, the fame fhall become literally the lake of 
fire and brimllone, in which the wicked ihall be 
punifhed after the day of judgment : But 1 alio 
think, that the 33th' verfe of the fame chapter,, 
compared, with 'Rev, xxi, 1, ifaiah !xv. 17. Ixvi. 
22, more than intimates, that the new heaven and 
earth fnall be created out of the fub fiance of the 
old, diffolved by the fire ; that the new earth fhall 
no more have a fea therein, feems to imply, that in 
its former ft ate, it had a fea, or why this expreffion, 
" And there was no more fea.'" — Now, if this hy- 
p.othefis is right, the following will be the true ftate 
of. the cafe ; viz, 

The 



44 



Dialogues on the 



The lake of fire is exprefsly declared to be " the 
fecond death, 55 Rev. xx. 14. The earth, in its 
burnt, melted and diffolred ftate, will be the gen- 
eral lake of fire and brimflone ; according to the 
verfes above cited from St. Peter. There will be 
a new heaven and a new earth, created out of the 
fubftance of the old, in which there will be no 
more fea, either of water, or of liquid fire ; conse- 
quently, the lake- of fire, or fecond death, (which 
are declared to be fynonimous) mull end ; and, 
of courfe/the.punifhment of the fecond. death muft 
then ceafe. 

Th^. fmoke of their torment is to afcend up • 
for ever and ever, and they are to be tormented day* 
and night : But, as the fmoke of the burning earth 
muft ceafe, when its fubftance is entirely diffolved 
or melted, and all eombuftible bodies are con- 
fumed-; and as it is intimated v\ Job xxvi. 10. that - 
day and night (hall come to an end ; and in Rev* 
xxi, 25, it is faid of the New Jerufalem, " And 
the gates of it fhall not be fhut at all by day, for 
there fhall be no night there." For all thefe 
reafons, I cannot be altogether perfuaded, that 
their being tormented day and night, for ever and 
ever, during which time the fmoke of . their tor- 
ment fhall con-ftantly. afcend, is quite equal to 
endlefs mifery, efpecially as there fhall come a time 
when death fhall be no more, pain fhall be no 
mcieforrozv fhall be no more, fmoke fhall probably 
afcend no more, and, peradventure, night fhall be 
no more. 

^thly. But the great reafon of all, why I do not 
conceive that for ever and ever, doth certainly in- 
tend dW/e/} duration, is, becaufe I find the words as 
often ufed for times and periods^ that muft have 

an 



Un iverfa I Rejio ration » 



an &nd, as von find them ufed for the mifery of 
the wicked. You bring three paffages, which are 
all that are to be round in the whole Bible, where 
they are ufed in that fenfe ; I fh?4i now invalidate 
thofe evidences for endlejs damnation, by bringing 
an equal number of texts, where you will allow 
the words are ufed in a limited fenfe. 

Friend. Is it poffible that you can find any tuck 
paffages in the Bible ? Pray (hew them to me. 

Minijitr. I fa. xxx. 8. " Now go, write it before 
them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may 
be for the time to come, for ever and ever/ 1 

See Jer. vii, 1—7. The yih verfe is, " Then 
will 1 caule you to dwell in this place, in the 
land that 1 gave to your fathers, jor ever and 
aver" 

Jer, xxv. 5. M Turn ye again, now, every one 
from his evil way, and every one from the evil 
of yo-ur doings, and dwell in the land that Je- 
hovah hath given unto you, and to your fathers, 
c or ever and ever." 

Tfeefe paffages are as many, and as ftronjly ex- 
reffed, as thofe which you brought to prove end- 
efs mifery; and yet nothing can be more evident 
han that they cannot intend endlefs duration. — » 
Here> tkefe periods muft be limited by the great 
conflagration ; and thus (for ought that appears as 
yet] the mifery of the wicked may be limited y not- 
withstanding the ufe of thofe expreffions, to fet 
forth its dreadful continuance to unknown ages ; 
at leaft, thofe words do not neceffariiy imply, that 
they (hall never, as long as God lives, be delivered 
from their fins and consequent Sufferings, 

if we were always to read for ever and ever \ 
endless, we fhould fet the Scriptures at variance 1 

and 



Dialogues en the 



and no criticifm couid ever reconcile them. Wr&> 
for inftance, to reconcile Pfalm cii. 25, 26, with 
Pfalm cxlviii.6. " Of old haft though laid the foun- 
dation of the earth, and the heavens are the work 
of thy hands. They (hall perifb, but thou fhalt 
endure ; yea., all of them (hall wax old like a gar- 
ment : as a vefture {halt thou change them, and 
they fhall be changed. — He hath alfo eilabiifhed 
them for ever and ever ; he hath made a decree 
which fhall not pals." 

Now, if the works for ever and ever, fignify 
without end, then there is a contradiction that ,can- 
not be reconciled ; i>utonly underftand them ages 
ef ages, (as- indeed, they ought to be rendered) and 
the whole difficulty vanifhes at once. 

Suppoie a perfon fhould read Rev. xx. 11, and 
xxi. 1. "And' I faw a great white throne, and 
him that fat upon it, from whofe face the earth 
and the heaven fled away ; and there was^ found 
no place for them. And 1 faw a new heaven, 
and a new earth; for the firfi heaven and the 
firfl earth were paffed away ; and there was no 
more fea And fhould then fay, Thefe vifions 
cannot be true, becaufe Solomon hath faid, " One 
generation paffeth away, and another c-omeUv, 
but the earth abideth for ever," Ecclef. i. 4; And 
God " laid the foundations of the earth, that it 
fhould not be removed, for ever-," Pfal, civ. 4* 
The world alfo is eftablifhed that it cannot be 
moved," Pfal. xciii. u See alfo Pfal. lxxviii. 69. 
and xcvi. 10, What would you think of fuch 
reafoning ? juu fo weak, muft ail the reafoning 
againfl: the univerfal Refloration be, from the 
words for ever, and for ever and ever, being ap- 
plied to fhtes of future mifery, if God has promif- 



Vniverfal Rejloration. 



47 



-ed to put an end to them all, by reconciling ail 
things to himfelf, deftroying fin, and introducing 
a new creation, and a ftate of univerfal and per- 
manent happinefs : For, if ; filch promifes real- 
ly exift, and their exifUnce can be demonftrat- 
ed, all reafoning againil them muft be vain and 
futile. 

Friend. It is certain, what when the word for 
ever is applied to things of this life and world, it 

-intends a period ; but when applied to fpiritual 
matters, and things or another world, it mull be 
zndiefs, according to my judgment and I am apt 
to think, you will find it fo too. 

Minifter. I am certain that you will foon be 
convinced to the contrary. The apoltle, fpeaking 
of Chnft, fays, ".But this man, after he had of- 
fered one facrifice for fins, jor ever fat down on 
the right hand of God ; from henceforth, ex- 

, pefting till his enemies be made his footftool," 
Heb, x. i2, 13. You will pleafe to notice, that 
Chriit's fitting down in the heavens, on the right 
hand of God, is not -a circumftance belonging to 
this world, or the things of time ; and he is to fit 
there for ever :; and yet that period, which, ac- 
cording to your hypothefis, muft be endlefs, is ex- 
prefsly limited by the facred writings : The hea- 
vens have received him, " until the times (feafons, 
or ages) of reflitution of all things/' (that is, 
till the beginning, and not the ending of thofe 
times) w r hich God hath fpoken of by the mouth 
of all his holy prophets fincethe world began," AQs, 
iii. 21. And the whole New Teftament teacheth 
us, to wait for the coming of Jefus, from heaven ; 
(1 Thef. i. . 10.) which would be highly abfurd, 
upon the fuppofition, that he is always to abide 

there : 



48 



Dialogues cn the 



there i Which yet he iDuft, if the word for ever, 
as applied to things of another flate, intends endlefs 
duration. 

Friend, I confefs, I never obferved this before : 
But, do you know of any pafl'age in the New 
Teftamenf, where the words, jor ever and ever^ 
certainly intend limited duration ? For I obferved, 
that all the inftances you brought were from the 
Old Teftatnent. 

Mimfler. Yes : Heb. i. 8 But unto the Son he 
faith, il Thy throne, (in diftin&ion from the throne 
of the Father) O God, is Jor ever and ever;" 
yet we read, (1 Cor. xv. 34, 28.) of the end, when 
he lhall have " delivered up the kingdom to God, 
even the Father ; when he fhall have put down 
all rule, and all authority and power ; then fhall 
the Son alfo himfe'if, be fubje& unto him that 
put all things under him, that God mav be all 
in all." 

Friend, But when Chrift threatened finners, 
with everlajhng fire, everlajlmg punifhment, and 
eternal damnation ; did not his expreffions natural. 
]y convey the idea of endlefs mijery ? And may not 
the Son of God be accrued of duplicity and deceit, 
if he did not mean to denounce punijliment without 
end ? And, therefore, if we believe his words to be 
true, as moft certainly they are, we muft reject 
the do£t rifle of the reiroraii-on, which puts an 
end to a ftate, which is called everlajlmg, by the 
mouth of truth itfelf. — Are you able toanfwer this 
fairly ? 

Minifier* If I am not able to anfwer this objec- 
tion, which you have flared in the flrongeft man- 
ner, I affile you, 1 will confefs myfeif in an error; 
and fhall thank you* (as an inftrumeni) -for bring- 
ing 



unwerfal Rejloration. 



49 



ing me to know it. The fame objection that yon 
make againft the Reftoration, the Jews make againft 
-Chrijl. and his religion ; for they argue thus : God 
is an unchangeable Being, and he declared, in the 
moft folemn manner, that the ordinances of the 
Levitical difpenfation mould be everlajlvng, and the 
anointing of Aaron's fons mould be an tvtrlajling 
priefthood, throughout their generations ; (See 
E*:od. xl. ig. and Lev. xvi. 34) and, therefore, 
we mud reject the Mefliah of the Chriftians, as an 
impoftor ; inafmuch as he pretends to aholifh thofe 
ftatutes, which God hath called tvtrlajling, and to 
fet himfelf up as a Prieft, contrary to the exprefs 
promife of the Lord, who cannot lie, nor repent, 
that Aaron and his fons mould have an everlajling 
priefthood ; and, therefore, if this is the true Mef- 
fiah, God meant to deceive us, when he promifed 
us thefe everlajiing bleffings, and privileges, which, 
we muft fuppofe were only for a time, if Chriftian- 
ity be true ; therefore, we reject it, as being incon- 
iiftent with the promifes of God. 

It is evident, from this view of the matter, that 
the jews reject Chrift and his religion, upon as 
good ground, as you reject the univerfal Reftora- 
tion, and perhaps better; for you have nothing to 
plead againft the Reftoration, but fome threaten* 
ings of puniihmems, which are called evtrlafiing, 
or eternal, in our translation ;.but they plead ex* 
prefs promifes of the everlajiing continuance of 
their church-ftate and worfhip, in oppofition .to 
Chriftianity, But, if it be true, that both the He- 
brew and Greek words, which our tranflators have 
rendered by the Engliih word everlajling, do not 
intend endlefs duration, but, a hidden period, or 
periods; then the ground is changed at once, and 
"E " the 



Dialogues on the 



the Jews have no right to objeft againft Chiiftkmi- 
ty, becaufe God promifed a continuance of their 
temple worfhip, for a certain age, or hidden period j 
nor the Chriftians to reje£l the univerfal Reftora- 
tion, becaufe God hath threatened the rebellious 
with fuch dreadful punimments, which fhall en- 
.dure through periods, exprelfed in the fame terms. 
It is indeed confeffed by fome of the maft learned 
Jews, that they have no word in their language, 
which abfolutely fignifies endlefs duration ; and 
therefore., they can only argue the endlefs continu- 
ance of any thing from its nature, and not merely 
from the words rendered for ever, or everlajling* 
And, if this is the truth of the cafe, fas who can 
deny it ?) then, neither did Jehovah fpeak to 
deceive the Children of Ifrael, when he promifed 
them blcffings of fuch long continuance, which 
have ended long ago, and which are never to be 
reftored by virtue of that covenant which he made 
with their fathers, when he brought them out of 
Egypt ; but by the new covenant which he zutM 
make with them when he fhall return them to their 
•own land ; nor did the Son of God fpcak to de- 
ceive, when he threatened the wicked with thofe 
punifhments, which (hull not end tilt they have, an- 
fzcered the purpofesjor z^hich it feems reafonabU te 
believe they fhall be infliBed, viz. to bring them 
down and humble their proud and ilubbom hearts;; 
which fhall he done, during the periods of his king- 
dom, before he (hail have delivered it up to the l a- 
ther, that God may be all in all. 

Friend. But if I feoujd grant that trie word 
ai onion doth not even in the New T eft a mem always 
figpify endlefs duration, yet what would you gain 
by it, fince it is nldia thai Cbrift hath fet the hapM T 




mf of the righteous, and the mifery of the wicked, 
one againft the other • and hath expreffed the con- 
tinuance of both, by the fame word, aionion, in St. 
Matth. xxv. 46 : Here, the punifiiment of the 
wicked, and the life of the righteous, are both 
declared to be aionion, or eternal, without difl mo- 
tion ; Now, can you fhew me any pafiage of Scrip- 
ture, where the fame wordris applied to two differ- 
ent things, w-hofe exiftence is not the fame, or the 
time of their continuance not alike ? 

Mimfier. Fairly ftated X And, if it be not as 
fiairly anfwered, it fhall be looked upon as an in- 
fuperabfe difficulty. But, happily, there is a paf- 
iage in Hab. iii. 6, where the fame word is ufed 
for very different things ^ 44 He flood, and meafured 
the earth : He beheld, and drove afunder the na- 
tions ; and the everlafnng mountains were feat- 
tered, the perpetual hills did bow : His ways are 
tverlafting" In our translation, the mountains,, 
and the ways of God, are called everlafting, and. 
the hills perpetual but in the original, the word 
gnad is applied to the mountains, and the Word 
gnatam to the hills-, and the ways- of God. But 
whether we argue from the original, or from the 
tranflation, it makes no difference :. The queiiion 
my Ait the mountains, or the hills, eternal in the 
fame fenfe in which the ways of God are ? If fo, 
the earth mull have exifred coeval with the ways 
of Jehovah, and the hills,, and mountains, muft 
never be removed, while his ways endure ; and, 
as his ways can never be deftroyed, the abfolute 
eternity not of the earth only, but of its prefent 
form, its mountains and hills, muft be inferred ; 
contrary to Ifaiah xl. 4. xliv. 10 — Ezek. xxxviii. 
£0.— Pet, iii, 7, 10, 11, 12.— Rev. xvi. 20. xx, 

xx.— 



5* 



Dialogues on the 



11. — Nav, even in this very text, the ways of Goc 
are. fpoken of as being of a different nature from the 
mountains, which were Jcattered, and the hills, 
which did bow. 

Thus, no folid argument can be- drawn from the 
application of the fame word to different things, to 
prove that they fhall be equal in their continuance, 
•unlefs their nature be the fame. 

Thus in the Greek New Teftamcnt, in Rom. 
xvi. 25, we read of the mvitery which hath been 
kept fecret, from Ckrcnots aioniois, and in the 26th 
verfe, we find, that it is now made known by the 
commandment Ton ai onion Tkeoit. But muft it be 
argued that becaufe aioniois is applied to times, and 
ax onion to God ; therefore tim^es are as ancient as 
Jehovah, and mult continue while heexifts ? The 
abfurdity of this is too glaring. Our tranflators 
have rendered Chronois aioniois, M Jince the word be*, 
gdk," inilead of eternal times and have thereby 
ihewn their judgment to be, that words cannot 
change the fubjecls to which they are applied, but 
the meaning of the words mull be determined by 
the nature of the fubjeft. 

In Jer. xxviii. 8, the word hegnolam is ufecl in 
the Hebrew ; but the tranflators did not think them- 
felves obliged to render it "from everlajling" or, 
**Jrom eternity /* as it would have been highly ab- 
furd to have read, eternal prophets, or prophets 
which were from eternity ; and have therefore ren- 
dered it " of old" though it is a ftronger word than 
gnad i which they have tranflated " eternity,'* Ifa. 
Ivii. 15. 

Many other inftances of the like nature, might 
be brought ; but thefe are fully fufficient to con- 
vince any unprejudiced mind, that nothing can be 



TJnivtrJal Rtjloration. 



53 



concluded in favor of endlefi pumjhmcnt, from the 
word aiomon being ufed to fet forth the duration of 
it, as well as the duration of that life which our 
Savior promifes to the righteous. 

But upon the fuppofition that our Savior intends- 
no more by the " lite eternal," in the 4 6 • h verfe of 
the xxvth of St. Matthew's gofpel, than he doth in 
the 34th verfe, by " the kingdom prepared from 
the foundation of the world," (which it would be 
hard to prove • then an anfwer might be given, 
without ail this labor, in this manner, viz. that as 
the Father hath appointed Ghrift'a kingdom, Fo 
he hath alfo appointed his faints a kingdom ; fSee 
St. Luke xxii. 29, 302 Rev. ii. 26, 27-. iii. 21.) but 
as the kingdom which the Father hath given to 
Ghrift. as Mediator, and as Judge, fhall end, when 
he fhall have fubdued all things, and put down all 
rule, and authority, and power (See 1 Cor. xv t 
24, ^5, 26, 27, 28.) fo, of confequenc-e, that 
kingdom which is given to the faints or overcom- 
ers, to fubdue the nations, (hall alfo end, when they 
ftiall be all fubdued,. and brought to fubmit. But. 
as the glory of Chrift (nail not be leffentd % but in- 
creajed, when God fhall be All in all ; fo the 
happinefs of the faints fhall be fo far from ending, 
or being diminijked, at that period, that it (hall 
then arrive at the furnmit of perfection ; but 
fhall never clofe nor decxeafe while Jehovah en- 
dures. 

Some time ago, a woman came to hear me, and' 
I happened to mention in my fermon, that Chrift's 
mediatorial kingdom was called everlajiing ,or cao- 
nion ; but that it mujl come to an end, when the 
kingdom mould be delivered up to the Father, 
w-hen he fhouid have put down all rule, and ail 
0^2 authority 



§4 Dialogues on the 

authority and power. After fermon, flie was aiked 
how flie liked ? She anfwered, " Not at all : He 
fay 3 the everiafting kingdom of Chrift fhall end ; and 
I never heard ot fuch a thing before in all my life ; 
and 1 am fure it muft be contrary to Scripture. ' f 
The perfon who afked her, told her, that there was 
fuch a tex t fome where, fhe could not tell exactly where 
to find iu But the woman perfifted in it, that there 
was no fuch text ; and went away full of prejudice. 
Now, had this paffage of Scripture been in the book 
of the Revelations, it would not have been fo much 
to be wondered at, that fhe had never heard of it ; but 
when we con fid er-, that this is expreffed in that part 
of the ijtb chapter of St. Paul's firft epiftle to the 
Corinthians, which is in the burial fervitt — what 
#iall we fay f 

Thus, li Chrifl's kingdom jhall end, much more 
Satan s ! If rewards, as fuch, fhall ceafe, how much 
more punijkmemis ! If the everlajiing kingdom of 
the faints, which they fhall poffefs forever and ever \ 
(See Dan, vii. 18, 27.) fhall end, or be fwailowed 
in that kingdom of boundlefs love, where God 
ihall be all in all ; how*" mu:n mor«, fhall all 
fin, pain, forrow and death, ceafe and have no mom 
<3 name in God's creation ! 

Friend, But -fuppofing tfee do£lrine of endlefs 
mijkry to be a truth, how would you expecl, to find 
it expreffed in the Bible ? 

Minijler. 1 fhould have a right to expect, in the, 
firft place, that there would be no promifes in the 
-Scripture to the contrary ; no fuch paffages as thefe : 
*' For I have fvvor-n by myfelf, the word is gone out 
of my mouth m righteoufnefs, and fhall not return ; 
that unto me every knee mail bow, and every 
^•crvgu^ i.h aI 1 fwear^' Ifaiah xlv, 23, Mind well, 

£V£RY 



Vnxverfal Rejloralion. 



S3 



EVERY tongue shall swear. Swearing al- 
legiance, as every civilian will tell you, implies 
pardon, reception, and proteSion, on the part of the 
icing ; and a hearty renouncing of rebellion, true 
ubjeclion, and willing obedience, on the part of the 
rebels* Kings of the earth may be deceived, but 
God cannot ; he will never accept of any feigned 
fubjeclion ; and, therefore, all that fwear, fhall 
fwear in truth and righteoufnefs ; fo mall rebellion 
ceafe, and difobedience be no more. 

The apoftle St. Paul, feems to quote this paffage 
of Scripture with fome variation, in his epiflle to 
the Philippians, Chap. ii. 9, to, iz ; where, fpeak- 
ing of the fufferings oi Chrift, and the confequen- 
ces of the fame, hefays, M Wherefore God aifo hath 
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is 
above every name ; that at (or in), the name oi Je- 
fus every knee (hall bow, of things in heaven, and 
things in earth, and things under the earth ; and 
that every tongue fhall confefs that Jefus Chrift is 
Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 35 Now, this 
confeflion appears to me to imply a willing fubjec- 
tion to tht authority of iheSavwr t brought about by 
the operation of the blefled Spirit ; for the fame a- 
poftle faith, 44 Wherefore, I give you to underftand, 
that no man, fpeaking by the Spirit of God, caileth 
Jefus accurfed ; and no man can fay that Jefus is 
the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft," 1 Cor. xii. 3. 

Then the argument thrown into a fy llogyftical 
form, will run thus : 

If every knee fhall bow, of things -In heaven, and 
things in "earth, and things under the earth ; then 
fhall all rebellion ceafe. 

But the firft is true ; therefore alfo the laft. If 
^yery tongue fhall confefs that Jefujs Chrift is 

Lord ? 



Dialogues on the 



Lord, to the glory of God the Father ; and no mm 
can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy 
Ghoft'; then mall the Holy Ghoft work effefiual- 
iy in every man. As the major is proved by Phli. 
ii* 11, and the minor by 1 Cor, x-ii. the conclu- 
fion muft be evident to a demonilration. 

Friend. I acknowledge, that in the prefent ftaie, 
no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord but by the 
Holy Ghoft ; but when- they fhall (land before his- 
bar, they fhall confefs him Lord, to the glory of 
God the Father, by jorce. 

Mimjter. But St. Paul fpeaks generally, « that 
no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the 
Holy Gholl : ; ' He does not mention time or 'place, 
but reprefents the matter impoffible ; befides 
every expreflion here ufed, implies a ■■witling, and 
not. a forced fubjetlion ; as bowing in the name oi 
JtfuS).M\& confeiTing him to be Lord oi all, to the 
glory of God the Father. 

Friend. But we are fometimes told, that God is- 
as much glorified by the eternal damnation of fome 3! 
as by the eternal falvation of others. 

Minijler. I have,, indeed, heard fome aflert the- 
fam^: But as the glory of God is the ultimate end? 
of alVthat he doth, we may properly aft, why he 
should take any pains to fave mankind ? 

But, above all, there is- one objeflion that may foe- 
brought againft this- idea,, which is hard to anfwer p 
and that is, God bath faid,*" For I have no pleafure 
in the death of him that dieth,, faith the Lord 
God. Say unto them, As I live, faith the 
Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the 
wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way, 
and live ; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways 
fcr. why will ye die, G houfe of Ifrael Ezek. 



Umverfal Rt/loraiidn. 



xriii. 23. xxxiii. 11. It is evident to me, that 
God muft take pleafure in what glorifies his name ; 
arid as he hath fworn that he takes no pleafure at all 
in the death of the wicked, it muft be fet down for 
a truth, lhatpunijkmenti without having the reform- 
ation and fubjection of rebels for its end, is unwor- 
thy of the Being we adore ; and even now, it -is call- 
ed u his Jlrange work,''' and " hi sjl range acl.' > But 
to proceed : If cndlefs mifery were a truth, I mould 
not expe£l that the myPiery of the wiil of God., 
which he hath made known unto his chofen, accord- 
ing to his good pleafure, which he hath purpofed in 
Iiimfelf, would be, ' 4 That, in the difpenfation of 
the fuinefs of times, he might gather together in 
one for rehead;.all things in G brill, both which are 
in heaven, anil which are in earth,'"' Ephef. i. o. io, 
Far lefs mould I expe£t to find, that " it pleafed the 
father that in him mould ail fuinefs dwell ; and,, 
having made peace by the blood of his crois, by 
him to reconcile all things to himfelt ; by him,. 
I fay, whether they be things in earth, or things 
in heaven/ 5 Col. k 19, 20. And I am not able 
to imagine, how St, John's vifiori 'Rev. v. 13.] 
could be juft, it tndltjs damnation is true, where 
he fays, " And every creature who is in heaven, and 
on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are 
in the fea, and all that are in them, heard 1 faying, 
Bleffing, and honor, and glory, and power, be un- 
to him that fitteth upon^ the throne, and unto the 
Lamb, forever and ever," In the nature of things, 
it appears impoffible to me to believe thefe pafTa r 
ges to be flrictiy and literally true, if endltfs mijtry 
be a truth ; Therefore I fay, that 1 mould not ex- 
pec! any intimations, far lefs abjolutt promifes, that 
God would defiroy death, the works of the devil, 

and 



Dialogues on the 



and make all things^ new, with many others of the: 
like nature. 

We find it promifed, that every knee mall bow; 
and left fome might fay. that every knee, meant on- 
ly fome knees, it is explained by the infpired apof- 
tie, to mean all things m heaven and in earth, and 
under the earth ; and not only fo, but every tongue 
fhall fwear, and confefs that jefus Chrift is Lord, to 
the glory of God the Father ; which could not be, 
except ail were reconciled to him, whether things 
in heaven, or things in earth : Wherefore, this is 
alfo promifed ; and, in confeqaence of their being 
fubdued, humbled, made obedient, and reconciled, 
they fhall be re headed in Chnjl ; never more to go 
aftray, nor break that band of eternal union, which 
ftall bind all together in one body, joined to one 
head ; and all fhall give never ceafing praife to God 
and the Lamb., world zoithout end. 

As endiefs damnation appears to me to be againfl 
the promifes, I cannot hold it as an article or my 
faith ; but were there no promifes or intimations 
to the contrary in Scripture, 1 mould not require 
k to be threatened in any ftronger terms than it is 
I Jhould believe it as a truth, though I mi^ht not. 
be able at prefenr, to^ fee the propriety and equhy 
thereof; I mould never fuffer my weak reafon to 
gainfay Divine Revelation : But my difficulty arifes 
from thefe exprefs promifes of God, which com- 
pofe fo great a part of that book *vhich is given us 
as a rule of faith and practice ; and which promifes. 
exprefsly affcrt a- future ftate of things beyond iin. 
forrow, pain, and death of every kind ; when all 
things fhall be made new ; and death, the fa ft ene- 
my of God, Chrift, and man, fhall be deftreyed,, 
fallowed up in viclory ;. and fiu t which is its fling, 



Vniverfal Reft oration. 



59 



<hall be no more in exiftence ; and tears fhall be 
dl wiped away from all faces. 

But, though I have acknowledged that I fhould 
not dare to drfpute the doftrine of endlefs damnation, 
unlefs God had given iP.timations 3 and even promt- 
./is, to the contrary; fi nee I find feveral dreadful 
threatenings in Scripture., in which the word aiom* 
vn or everla fling, is joined with the punifhment of 
the wicked ; yet a very little attention will fhew us, 
that the felicity of the righteous is .prom i fed in 
much ftronger language, than the mifery of the 
wicked is threatened in the Scriptures. 

I remark in the firft place, that the word aioni- 
on, rendered everlajling, or eternal, is ufed much 
oftener in St. John's gofpel alone, to exprefs the. 
continuance of the life, or well being, of the right- 
eous, than it is ufed in the. whole Bible, to exprefs 
the mifery of the wicked ; and this remark is 
ftregthened by obferving, that he never once ufes 
the word in his whole gofpel, nor in his epiflles. to 
fet forth the duration of punifhment. See St. John, 
**K 16, 36. iv. 14. v. 24. vi. 27, 40, 47, 54, 
■68. x. 28. xii. 25. 50. xvii. ver, 2, 3, in all which 
paflages, the word at onion is ufed to exprefs the 
-continuance of the well being of the righteous. 

But not to infill on this : I obferve, that there,, 
•are many flronger expressions (even in our tranfla- 
tion) to fet forth the well being or the righteous, 
than any that are ufed as connected with the mifery 
•of the wicked. Ifaiah, xlv. 17, we read, " Ifrael 
fhali be faved in Jekovai-i, with an -ezjerlajimg 
^aivatio 4 ; ye fhall not be afhamed, nor confound- 
ed, zoorld wukeui end'' But where do we read, 
-that the mifery of the wicked fhall have no endf 
J. he word en digs, or world without end, is never 

once 



i 



i6o Dialogues on the 

once ufed by our tranflators, to exprefs the eternitv 
of punifhment, in the whole Bible. 

We read, in 1 Pet. i. 4, of " an inheritance, in* 
--corruptible, and undefiled ; and that Jadeth not a- 
way, referred in -heaven;" And in Chap. v. 4, of 
Hl a crown of glory, that fadeih not away ;" and, 
Heb. xii, 28, of a " kingdom, which cannot be mov- 
ed ;" And our bleffed Savior's words are remarka- 
bly ftrong upon this fubjeft, in many places ; as, 
in St. Luke's gofpel, Chap. xx. g^, 36, where he 
fays, 44 But they who -ih all be accounted worthy to 
obtain that world, and the (firft) refurreftion from 
the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; 
neither can they die any more ; for they are equal 
unto the angels.; and are the children of God, be- 
ing the children of the refurreftion.:" And in St. 
John, x. 27, 28,-29, v/e read thus : " My fiieep hear 
my voice, and 1 know them, and they iollow me : 
and I give unto them eternal life; and they mail 
never perijli, neither mall any pluck them out of my 
hand. My Father, who gave them me, is greater 
than all ; and none is able to pluck them out of.m.y 
'Father's hand." In'Chap, xi. 25, 26, Chrifl fays, 
r * I am the refuireftion and the hie; he that believ- 
^th in me, though he were dead, yet {hall he live : 
And whofoever liveth and believeth in <me, (hall 
never die." And, in -Chap. vi. ^o, he fays, " This is 
the bread that cometh down trom heaven, that a 
man may eat thereof, and not die?* And he ex- 
preffes the perpetuity of the heavenly blifs, and of 
our enjoyment of the fame, by advifing us, faying. 
u - Lay up for yourfeives treafures in heaven ; where 
neither moth nor ruft doth corrupt, and where 
thieves do not break through nor fteal. Fear not 
little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleafure 

im 



Univerfal Reft oration. 



61 



to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and 
give alms ; provide yourfelves bags which wax not 
old, a treafure in the heavens that faileth not ; 
where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupt- 
ed," St. Matth. vi. 20. and St. Luke, xii. 32, 33. 
This is that which St. Paul calleth " a better and an 
enduring Jubilance," Heb. xii. 34. But what mall 
1 fay of the apoflle's words, 2 Cor. iv. 7 ? s For 
©ur light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
worketh for us, kath hyperbolen eis hyperbolen aio- 
nion baros doxes katergazetaianin : A glory exceed* 
ing aionien, or eternal, to an excejs* Here is an 
hyperbole upon an hyperbole ; beyond eternal ; a 
far more exceeding eternal weight of glory. 

But it is not fo much by the different words 
made ufe of to denote the permanency of the feli- 
city of the righteous, from thofe which are ufed to 
exprefs the duration of the mifery of the wicked, 
that 1 judge of the continuance of the one beyond 
the other ; fo much as from the different fources 
from whence they flow, and of their different natures. 

The happinefs of thofe who are reconciled to 
God, arifes from their union to Chriii ; in w T hich 
if they continue grounded and fettled during this 
prefent lite, w T herein they pafs through fo many 
fore trials, the union will become fo permanent, as 
that it will be impoffible to diffolve it ; and the very- 
nature of things mews, that if we abide firm to the 
end, through ail difficulties, and overcome all thofe 
things that would feek to feparate us from Chrift, 
when we come into that ftate where we fhall meet 
with no more temptations, nor any thing that hath 
the leafl tendency to draw our minds from God, we 
muft, of confequence, remain attached, or united to 
him, while we have ah exigence. This dofrrine 
f was 



£2 



Dialogues on the 



was known to David ; and, therefore, he fail, 
" While I live, will I praife Jehovah ; 1 will fmg 
praifes unto my God, while I have any being," 
Pfal. cxlvi. 2. civ. 33^ It may be proved, that the 
union ft all continue between Chrift and his faithful 
©nes alter this life, and feall become indiffoluble; 
and that neither " tribulation, nor diitrefs, nor per- 
fecution, nor famine, nor nakednefs, nor peril, nor 
fword ; neither death, nor life,, nor angels, nor prin- 
cipalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things 
to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea- 
ture, feall be able to feparate us (who abide in him) 
irom the love of God which is in Chrift Jefus our 
Lord." See Rom. viii. 35 — 39. See alfo St. John, 
xv. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10. 1 John, ii. 24 — 28. 

The never ending continuance of the life, or 
fiate of well being of the righteous, may be certain- 
ly inferred, with the greateft eafe, from the continu- 
ance of the life of Chrift ; who is made an high 
prieft, " not after the law of a carnal commandment, 
butaftert he power of an endlefs life," Heb. vii. 16 m 
And he hath exprefsly declared, s< Becaufe I live, 
ye fta'11 live alfo," St. John xiv. 19. Thus, as long 
as the caufe remains, the effe£l muft continue; but 
the caufe, even the life of Chrift, muft undoubted- 
ly continue to endlefs periods; therefore alfo, the 
effect, or the life oi thofe who are joined to him in 
an indiffoluble union, fhall continue. The apof- 
tle Paul underftood logic as well as any in our 
days ; and he thus reafons upon this glorious truth* 

The fpiric itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirits, 
that we (who are led by the Spirit of God, and have 
received the fpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 
Abba, Father) " are the children of God : And if 
children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joiut heirs 

with 



Umverfal Rejloration* 63 



tvith Chrift ; if fo be that we fufFer with him, that 
we may be a! fo glorified together," Rom. viii. 16, 17, 
Now, as Chrift, the principal heir, cannot be dif- 
inherited ; fo, neither can thofe who are joint heirs 
with him. The Holy Spirit is given us as the earn- 
eft of our inheritance, and to feal us to the day of 
redemption, 2 Cor. v. 5. Ephef. i, 13, 14, and ir. 
30. Chrift is the head, and the overcomers through 
the blood of the Lamb, are the members of his body, 
and (hall inherit all things ; he will be their God, 
and they (hall be his children ; he is their life, and he 
" will make them pillars in the temple of God, and 
they fhall go no more out," Rev; Hi. 12. St. Paul 
fays, " When Chrift, who is our life, {hall appear, 
then fhall ye alfo appear with him in glory," Col. 
iii. 4. And St. John fays, "Behold what manner 
of love the Father hath beftowed upon us, that we 
fhouid be called the fons of God ; therefore the 
world knoweth us not, becaufe it knew him not. 
Beloved, now are we the fons of God, and it doth 
not yet appear what we fliall be ; but we know, that 
when he fhall appear, we fhall be like him ; for we 
fhall fee him as he is," 1 John iii. 1, 2. Thus, we 
are fure, from the Scriptures, and from the nature 
of things, that thofe who are drawn by the Father, 
united to the Son, fealed by the Holy Ghoft, wil- 
lingly choofe the Lord for their portion, and con- 
ftamly adhere to him to the end, fhall never be fep- 
arated from him in the future ages ; for he himfelf 
faith, " As the living Father hath fent me, and I 
live by the Father; fo he that eateth me, even he 
fhall live by me," St, John. vi. 57, And as Chrift 
is the great attracting loadftone, that fhall finally 
draw aii things to him ; it is evident, that he will 
prefer vzjor ever, thofe whom he hath thoroughly 

drawn- 



^4 Dialogues on the 



drawn to himfelf, and who have adhered to him 
through the time of trial. Thus is the life eternal 
of the righteous, or their endlefs ftateof well being, 
cxpreffed in much ftronger language than the mife- 
ry of the wicked ; and, moreover, has its foundation 
in the union between Chrift and his church, and ia 
ihe nature of things. 

Friend. But if the Spirit of God dwelling in us, 
and thereby caufing us to adhere to Chrift, and to 
follow him through all trials, makes our union to 
him fo perfeft, that nothing fhall be able to feparate 
us from him to all eternity ; fince we are confirm- 
ed in habits of goodnefs by free choice, and by oft 
repeated exercifes ; why, by the fame rule fhall not 
the mifery of the wicked be endlefs , feeing that 
they have chofen and adhered to evil through life, 
and by conflant pra£Hce are confirmed therein ? 
Evil is grown up to a body in them ; and it appears 
to me as difficult to reform and bring them off from 
their vicious habits, as it would be to draw the faints 
in light from their adherence to virtueand goodnefs* 

Minijler. Your reafonieg would be conclufive, 
upon the fuppofition that there are two eternal prin- 
ciples^ viz. good and evil ; it it can be proved, that 
evil is coexiftent with goodnefs, that it haih always 
been ; then, the abfolute eternity of fin and mifery 
xnay be eafily inferred. This is the true founda- 
tion of endlefs mifery, and it came from the Pagan 
theology : The Heathens believed in two eternal 
principles, ever warring againft each other, and nei- 
ther fully prevailing ; that men had the liberty ot 
enlifting under which they pleafed ; and that thofe 
who in life chofe virtue, jfhould enjoy endlefs felic- 
ity ; while , thofe who chofe and adhered to vice, 
would eternally remain under its dominion, and of 

cpnfequence 



Univerfal Rejloration. 



confequence be always miferable. Thus, the infer- 
nal deities being judged by the poor Pagans to be 
as eternal as the good gods, and more powerful ; 
they facrificed more to the evil principle than to 
the good, out of fear, and to appeafe the anger of 
thofe abhorred, malevolent agents ; hence, the fre- 
quency of human facrifices* 

Now, when the Ghriftian religion triumphed 
over Paganifm in the Roman empire, many of the 
philofophers embraced and proteffed it, but withaJ;. 
retained many of their Pagan notions ; among which 
was the eternity o\ thefe two oppofite principles ; 
hence arofe the ancient fe£l of the Manichees, who 
believe not only the eternal exiftence of tw r o con- 
trary eternal Gods, one good and the other evil 
but alfo, that all vifible things were created by the 
devil; and upon this principle, they might argue 
the univerfality of damnation, with as much eafe 
and certainty, as we, upon the contrary, may argue 
the certainty of the Univerfal Rejloration^ accord- 
ing to that glorious promife of God, Ifaiah, Ivii. id 9 
17, 18, 19, " For I will not contend for ever, neith- 
er will I always- be wroth ;: for the Spirit fhould 
fail before me, and the fouls which I have made. 
For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I wroth, 
and fmote him : I hid me, and was wroth ; and 
he went on frowardly, in the way of his heart. 
1 hav-e feen his waysj and will heal him : I will 
lead him alfo, and reflore comforts unto him, 
and to his mourners. 1 create the fruit of the 
lips; Peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to 
him that is near, faith Jshovah ; and I will heal 
him." 

Thofe who venture to contradi£V their Maker, 
and fay 3 that he will contend for cv-er } and he alzvay? 

$f 2 wroik- 



66 



Dialogues an the 



wroth ; ought to give as good a reafon, at leaft, 
why he will, as he hath given why he zvill not $ 
and, confequently, muft prove him not to be the 
Father of all fpirits, and the Creator of all fouls : 
If, therefore, it can be dernonftrated, that Satan 
is an eternal, felfexiftent, immutable, evil being, 
and that he hath created all, or a part of mankind, 
(as fome averted formerly, and as I myfelf have 
heard lately) or that he hath drawn fome of God's 
creatures into fuch an union with himfeif, that they 
cannot be feparated from him ; and that he will 
maintain his crown, throne, and kingdom, in op- 
pofition to God, to all endlefs duration j then, and 
not till then, may the eternity of fin and mifery be 
concluded from the nature of things, with equal eafe 
and certainty, as the perfe&ion and happinefs ol the 
faints. 

But if the kingdom of evil, and all the works 
of fin, Satan, and darknefs, fhall be totally de- 
flroyed by Chrift, and all things fhall be rehead- 
ed in him, who is the head of all principality 
and power, as well as of every man : See Ephe- 
lians, i. 10. Col. ii. 10. i Cor. xi. 3, If every 
knee fhall bow, and tongue fhall fwear, and all 
things, whether in heaven or in earth, or under the 
earth, fhall confefs that he is Lord ; and all things, 
whether in heaven or in earth, fhall be reconciled 
to him : See Ifaiah, xlv. 23. Phil. ii. 10, Col. i. 
£©, And all kingdoms (not excepting that of the 
prince ot the power of the air) fhall be broken and 
deftroyed by the kingdom of Chrift, which fliall jt- 
feli be yielded up into the kingdom of boundlefs 
love, where judgment fhall be no more : What fhall 
we fay of that do&rine, that teaches us the tndiefs 
duration of evil? So far is the sndlejs Jin and mif- 
ery 




ery of the wicked from being inferred from the 
endlefs holinefs and felicity of the righteous, in the 
kingdom of the Father, that every proof and demon- 
ftration of the latter, concludes equally againft the 
former. 

One of the fir ft arguments that ever began to take 
hold of my mind, and to bring me to think ferioufly 
of the fyflem of the Reftoration, was, what I read in 
a little book upon the fubjeft, called, The Ever loft- 
ing Go/pel, &c. and is there thus expreffed. 

u It is as impoffible that there fhould be two end* 
lefs contrary things, as that there fhould be two 
real contrary deities, a good God and a bad one, or 
two forts of contrary creatures, both of truly divine 
original, fome being made good by God, and others 
bad. For an abfclute and merely infinite duration, 
which has neither beginning nor end, is, according 
to the confeffion of all divines, yea, or every reafona- 
ble man, a property peculiar to the uncreated Be- 
ing only. But fuch an infinite duration, which, 
although it has a beginning, yet {hall have no end, 
can only be the property of thofe creatures that are 
of divine original. For as thefe, according to the 
language of the fcripture, are of divine origin, and 
therefore are rooted in God, or in his almighty 
creating power, which has no beginning, they can 
alfo be everlafting, their exiftence or duration can 
alfo be without end in God. But whatfoever has 
not its eternal root in God, or in his eternal creat- 
ing power, but is fprung up in the creature in 
this world, by its voluntary turning away from God, 
and againlt his holy will, and consequently is an 
abomination and difpleafure to the Molt High, and 
is only fuffered by him, fuch as fin, and the pun- 
ifhment depending thereon, thefe things cannotVof- 

fibly 



68 , Dialogues en the 

fibly be of an abfolute endlefs exiftence and dura* 
tion, or remain fo long as God lhall exift; but 
muft of neeeffity once ceafe and be annihilated; 
for as God is a Being to thofe creatures which he 
created good, and which exift through his will v 
wherein they may fubfift and be prefer ved without 
end; fo he is on the contrary, to iniquity and firr, 
(which againft his will, is fprung up in and 
flicks to the creatures) a confuming fire, whereby 
all fin and perverfenefs in the creatures mufi be at 
laft confumed, annihilated, and feparated from them 
in the higheft degree, in order to reftore them to 
their primitive purity ; in the fame manner as the 
fire doth not confume and deftroy the gold, but only 
the drofs, and that which is impure/' 

We will now Hate fome of the arguments in fa- 
vor of the endlefs continuance of the happinefs of 
the faints, in the kingdom of their Father ; and- 
thofe which prove that the Hate of mifery mall 
come to an end. 

Chrift hath promifed, that the happinefs of the 
faints fhall have no end ; becaufe his life fhall have 
no end, and he is their life. 

The mifery of the wicked mall end, becaufe the 
kingdom of evil fhall end. 

The power of God Hands engaged to preferve 
and keep thofe who commit" themfelves to him ; 
and thus, their union with him fhall always con- 
tinue. 

The fame is engaged to deftroy that covenant, 
with death, and that agreement with hell, whereby 
finners are held in fubjetHon to Satan, and thus to 
take the prey from the mighty, and the captives 
from the terrible. 

The fubjecls of Chrift are. his natural fubjefts ; 

he- 



Vniverfal Reft oration* 6gr 

he is their rightful fovereign : But Satan's fubjecls 
are flaves, led captive by him at his will ; he is an 
ufurper, and all that are in bondage to him belong 
to Chrift, who will finally draw them all to him- 
felf. 

Thofe that are in blifs fhall be eternally attracled 
by him, and fhall always" choofe that which is 
good ; but when evil is broken, its influence fhall 
no more prevail over thofe that are captivated by- 
it ; and they fhall feel the confequences of fin in 
fuch a manner as to loathe it ; and they fhall heart- 
ily return, and fwear allegiance to their rightful 

There fhall be no influence to draw the faints in 
blifs from Chrift, and thereby di Solve his king- 
dom ; but ail the influence of God and goodnefs, 
ihall tend to diffolve the kingdom of darknefs, and 
to put an end to the thraldom and mifery of its un- 
happy flaves. 

Thus, 1 might go on with a long train of argu- 
ments upon this fubjeff ; but thefe may fuffice. 

Friend. Your arguments would feem very con- 
clufive, for the entire fubjeftion of all things, if 
you could prove that the word ALL> intends literal- 
ly arm mathematically, the whole, without exception ; 
but this, 1 doubt, will be difficult for you to do, as 
you mull know that it is very frequently ufed in 
common language for a part, and fometimes for 
only a [mall part cj mankind. 

Minifier. I acknowledge, this is the cafe in com- 
mon converfation, and i»i fuch parts of the facred 
hiftory where we are in no danger of being milled 
by it, being well informed by the context, or fome 
other paffages, or from the nature, or from the cir- 
cumftances of the fatts, that we raiVt take it in a 

limited 



Dialogues on .the 



fimited fenfe ; but I do not recollect any paffage r 

where any point oj dotirint is fpoken of, in which 
the word all is ufed in that uncertain and unde- 
terminate manner ; and it is necefTary that it mould 
not be ufed in that way, in matters of importance ; 
becaufe we might be led into confufion and great 
uncertainty thereby ; not knowing whether to 
underftand it univerfaity, or partially. Wherefore, 
I lay down this plain rule, viz. When the word 
all is ufed in any paffage of Scripture, and we are 
not neceffarily obliged, either by the context or 
fome other text, or the nature and circumftances- 
of the cafe, to underftand it partially ; and efpe- 
cialiy where any important point of doctrine is 
fpoken of, we are always to underftand it univerfaU 
ly, without exception. 

Friend. But can you prove from the writings of 
the apoilles, that they ufed the world all in this 
large and universal fenfe ? 

Minijter. Yes, my friend, very eafily, and in the 
moil unexceptionable manner. Hoar what the au- 
thor of the Epiftle to the Hebrews fays upon this 
Matter : " Thou haft put all things in fubjecticn 
under his feet ; for in that he put all in fubjefiion 
under him ; he left nothing thai is not put under 
him;' Hek ii. 8. 

It is evident, that the apo file's reafoning would 
be very inaccurate, if not entirely falfe, upon the 
fuppofition that all things did not intend all, in 
the largeft fenfe ;; for how would this conclufion 
naturally and neceffarily follow, " For in that he 
put all in fubjecHon under him, he left nothing 
sot put under him unlefs it be premifed, that 
all is ufed in the univerfal fenfe of the word ? 

Friend, But hath not the fame apoftle made an 

exception*. 



Vniverfal Refloraiion* 



71 



exception, when he ufes the word all, in fome 
other of his writings ? 

Minifter. Yes, truly ; but it is fuch an excep- 
tion as juftifies this fenfe of the word, more than 
a thoufand arguments: " For he hath put all 
things under his feet ; but when he faith, all 
tilings are put under him, it is mamfeft, that he is 
-excepted which did put all things under him.' 9 
1 Cor. xv. 2j. Here God the Father being alone 
excepted, proves all other beings to be included in 
the words all things ; and that in fo convincing a 
manner, that I am aftonifhed that I did not perceive 
it long before I did. 

Friend. It is true, that nothing can be plainer, 
than that all things in thefe places, mull mean 
all beings, except God; but then, perhaps, St, 
Paul only meant, that they fhould be fubje6l to his 
control, and not brought willingly to obey ; If you 
can prove this point as clearly as you have the oth- 
er, and from the fame authority, it will feem to put 
the matter with me beyond difpute. 

Minijler. This is very eafily done .; for it is uni- 
verfally acknowledged by all Chriflians, that all 
things are now, and have ever been fuhje£l to his 
control ; for when he w-as upon earth, in his low- 
eft ftate of humiliation, even the unclean fpirits, the 
moll rebellious of beings, obeyed his word 3 which 
made thofe who faw his miracles cry, with amaze- 
ment, " What thing is this ? What new do£irine 
is this ? For with authority commandeth he even 
the unclean fpirits, and they obey him,' 5 St. Mark, 
i. 27. The devils obeyed him univerfally in 
whatever he commanded them ; and could not 
enter into the fwine without his permiffion ; and 
fcow difagreeable foever his words were to them, 

they 



7 2 



Dialogues on the 



they were forced to comply, without daring to 
complain ; yea, they frequently feemed like hum- 
ble fuppliants ; and once we read, they went fo far 
as to adjure our bleffed Lord not to torment them : 
See St. Mark, v, 7. The winds, waves, fillies, 
all obey him ; all difeafes, and even death itfelf, 
heard his voice, and departed at his bidding ; and 
to his difciples he faid, " All power is given unto 
me, in heaven and in earth/' Matth. xxviii. 18. 
And certainly now. he is at 44 the right hand of God, 
angels, and authorities, and powers, are made fub- 
jeft unto him," 1 Pet. lii. 22. God hath exalted 
him far above all principality, and power, and 
might, and dominion ; and every name that is nam- 
ed ; not Gnly in this age, (for fo I render the word 
aioni) but alfo in that which is to come ; and put 
all things under his feet, and gave him to be the 
head over all things to the church," Ephef. i. 21 9 
22. But, as though the apoftle had known 
that the fenfe would be difputed, he hath faid, 
" But now we fee not yet all things put under him" 
Heb. ii. 8. All things were fubje£t to his control, 
even on earth ; and they cannot be lefs fo, now he 
is exalted to heaven, to the glory which he had 
with the Father before the world was ; and yet, 
many years after his afcenfion, the apoftle fays, 
44 But now we fee not yet all things put under him ; M 
by which he mull certainly mean their being wii- 
luigly Jubjed unto him ; for, in all other fenfes, 
ail things are now put under him, in the moft un- 
limited manner, as we have feen already. But the 
apoftle goes on to tell how far the important work 
is accompliflied, and that a fure foundation is laid 
for its entire completion ; faying, 44 But we fee Je« 
fus, who was made a little lower than the angels. 

far 



Vniverfal Reftoration. 73 



tor the fu fieri ng of death, crowned with glory and 
honor, that he, by the grace of Gcd, fcould tafte 
death for all ;"" (for fo the word pantos ought to 
be rendered ) There was anciently a manufcript 
in ufe, in which the words were choris Theou in- 
fteadof chariti Theou, that is, for all, except 
God. And there is little doubt of its being the 
true fenfe ; becaufe St. Paul makes the fame ex- 
ception, with refpeft to thofe who are put un- 
der Chrift, as we have before noted, 1 Cor. xv. 27, 

Then the apoille adds, " For it became him, for 
whom are all things, and by whom are -all things^ 
in bringing many fens unto glory, to make the 
Captain of their falvation .perfeft through fuffer- 
ings," Heb. ii. 9, 10. 

Inftead of the word all intending only a part, we 
find, in feveral places, that the word many intends 
all, as in Rom. v. 15, 16, 19. " For if through 
the offence of one, many be dead: much more the 
grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by 
one man, Jefus Chrift, hath abounded unto many. 
The free gift is of many offences unto juflification. 
For, as by one man's difobedience many were made 
Tinners ; fo, by the obedience of one, (hall many 
be made righteous." Ifaiah iiii. n, 12. " By his 
knowledge fhall my righteous fervant juftify many 
(or the many) for he fhall bear their iniquities. 
And he bare the fins of many, and made inter- 
cefiion for the tranfgrefTors. 5 ' Thefe many are call- 
ed all, in the 6th verfe : All we, like fheep have 
gone aftray ; we have turned every one to his own 
way ; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniqui- 
ty of us .all" 

But, to return to our fubje£i : St. Paul affures 
us, that though all things, without exception, are 
G put 



74 



Dialogues on the 



put under him, in one fenfe ; yet, in another, he 
fays, " But now we fee not yet all things put under 
him." But he leaves us not in the dark about the 
matter ; but fpeaks of that effectual " working, 
whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto 
himfejf," Phil. iii. 21. And when all things fhall 
he Jubdued unto himfelf, then fhall the Son alfo 
hjmielf be fubjeel unto him that put all things un- 
der him, that God may be all in all," 1 Cor. 
xv. 28. Here we plainly find, a very neceffary dif- 
tinction between all things being put under him ; 
and all things being Jubdued unto him, the former is 
already done, in the fulleft manner ; and the latter 
jliall be as perfectly and as fully accomplished, in 
due time : " Becaufe the creation itfelf {hall be de- 
livered from the bondage of corruption, into the 
glorious liberty of the children of God. For we 
know, that the whole creation groaneth and travail- 
eth in pain together, until now," Rom. viii. 21, 22. 

Though w'hat hath already been fpoken, may 
feem more than enough to prove the point refpeft- 
ing the word all ; yet there is one paffage more, 
{all to the purpofe, that I would not omit ; it be- 
ing, of itfelf, fully fufficient to fettle the difpute 
for ever : — The apoftle, fpeaking of Chrifl, faith, 
" Who is the image of the invifible God, the firft- 
barn of every creature ; for by him were all things 
created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, 
vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or 
dominions, or principalities, or powers ; all things 
were created by him, and for him ; and he is before 
all things, and by him. a// things confift. And he 
is the head of the body, the church ; who is the 
beginning, the firft born from the dead; that in 
all things, he might have the preeminence. For it 



Univerfal Rejloraiion. 



75 



pleafed the Father, that in him fhould all fulnefs 
dwell ; and having made peace through the bloo 1 
of his crofs, by him, to reconcile all things unto 
himfelf ; by him, 1 fay, whether they be things in 
earth, or things in heaven," Col. i. ij — 20. 

As the word all is generally acknowledged to be 
ufed in its mcft extenfive fenfe, in every place in 
this paragraph, except the laft, there is no reafon 
to be given why the apoflle fhould change the fenfo 
of the word, without giving us the leaft notice oi 
it ; and, indeed, it would be very unkind, if net 
unfair, for him thus to do ; as it would tend to 
nnflead us, in a matter of very great importance. 

Friend. I hope that 1 am not fo attached to my 

own opinions as to be unwilling to hear and con- 

fider what may be advanced again ft them ; but the 

doctrine of endlefs damnation has been fo general !y 

confidered as a mod important article of faith by 

all denominations, that I C2n bv no means think ol 

... / 
giving it up, unlefs you are able to eflablifh the 

contrary fyftem upon the mo ft folid ground, and 

anfwer all the fcriptural objections fairly, that 

have been, or that can be brought again ft it ; for 

1 rnuft have all my doubts folved, before I can think 

of believing fuch a ftrange do&rine as this appears 

to me. 

Mr/ii/ler. I mo ft heartily commend your pru- 
dence and fincerity : I took the fame refolution ; 
and would never receive this view, till I couid an- 
fwer all. objections to my own fatisfa&ion ; and if 
you are difpofed to inquire farther at another op- 
portunity, 1 {hall be happy in giving you all the 
affiitancein my power, 

END OF THE FIRST DIALOGUE. 

DIALOGUE. 



Dialogues on tn& 



DIALOGUE IL 



friend, fZ OOD da >" t0 7™' Sir ' 1 was 3 uff 
pafling by, and if you have a little 

time to {pare, 1 mould be happy to have fome far- 
ther difcourfe with you, refpe&ing your fenti- 
ments ; for .although I cannot fall in with your 
views, yet 1 am convinced, that your mind is up- 
right in the matter, and that you do not difagree 
with your brethren for the fake of differing, but for 
what you believe to be truth. 

Minijler. I have this to fay,, (and I can with 
truth declare it) that I never fliould have diffented 
from my brethren, had they only given me the lib- 
erty of enjoying that natural right of freely 
thinking for myfelf in matters religion. 1 fin- 
cerely wifli to live and die in unity with all that 
love God and keep his commandments ; and I 
fliould never have troubled the world with my fen- 
timents, had not great pains been taken to repre- 
fent me as a heretic, and my fentiments dangerous 
to mankind : This was done to prevent people 
from hearing what I had to fay in other matters. — - 
I was therefore, in a fort, compelled to fit down 
and anfwer all the objections that were brought 
again ft the truth I believed ; which anfwers, drawn 
(as 1 truft) fairly from the- Scriptures, have fatif- 

£ed: 



Univerfal Rejlcration. 



77 



fied many who have read what I then wrote upon 
the fubjeft. 

Friend, I never faw your anfwers to objeQidhs 
in print ; but in our lalt converfation, you gave 
fuch anfwers to many queftions, as feemed to con- 
vince me that much more might be faid in favor of 
the general Reftoration than I formerly imagined : 
But t have a number of objections remaining, 
which appear to me unanfwerable ; and which I 
beg leave to ftate you in the plained manner. 

Minijler. Do, my dear friend ; you will give me 
pleafure by being free and open upon this fubjefi ; 
propofe all your objections, in the ftrongeft man- 
ner pofnble, and I will give you fuch anfwers as 
have fat is fied me in the matter ; and I beg leave to 
affure you, that no light, trifling, or forced anfwer, 
far lefs a manifeft evafion, would fatisfy my mind 
upon this awful and interfiling fubjefl ; and if 
what I believe is not capable of a fcriptural defence, 
1 fhall endeavor to quit the ground as fpeediiy as 
poffible. 

Friend. The words of our Savior, recorded By 
Sr. Mark, ix. 43 — 49, from a very ferious, 
and tome an unanfwerable objection again ft the Uni- 
verfal Reftoration. 

" And if thy hand offend thee ( or caufe thee to 
offend; cut it off: it is better ior thee to enter in- 
to life maimed, than having two hands, to go into 
hell ; into the fire that never (hail be quenched 
( or that is unquenchable) J where their worm du 
eth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy 
foot offend thee, for caufe thee to offend} cut it 
off 5 it is better lor thee to enter halt into life, than 
having two feet, to be caff into hell, into the fire 
that never (hall be quenched for that is unquench- 
PT 2 able] ; 



7.8 



Dialogues on the 



able) ; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is 
not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, 
/"c?r caufe thee to offend) pluck it out ; it is better 
for thee to enter into kingdom of God with one 
eye, than having two eyes to be eaft into hell fire ; 
where their worm dieth hot, and the fire is 
not quenced. For every one fhall be faked 
with fire, and every facrifice (hall be faked with 

fait." 

Here our Lord repeats five times, that 4 5 the fire 
is not, or never fhall be quenched, or is unquench-- 
able \" words of nearly fimilar meaning Three- 
times he fpeaks of hell, as a place : where " their 
worm dieth not and, to fhew the perpetuity of 
the fufferings of the miferable, he fays., " For ev- 
ery one fhall be faked, with fire i* e. preferved by> 
the fire, as fait preferves meat. Thefe are the ob- 
jections from this paffage, briefly ftated : Are you. 
able to anfwer them fairly^ without any evafion, 
from the authority of Scripture ? 

Minifter. This is certainly a mo ft terrible paffage, 
2nd deferves to be confidered particularly. 

There is no doubt but- Jefus Chrift had his eye 
upon that paffage in ifaiah lxvi. 24, — " And they 
fhall go forth, and look upon the carcafes of the 
men that have tranfgreffed againft me; for their 
worm fhall not die, neither fhall their fire be 
quenched ; and they, fhall be an abhorring unto ali 

It will be of ufe to us to uaderftand when this 
prophecy fhall be fulfilled : It fhall be when the 
Children of Ifrael fhall return, and be fettled in 
their own land ; and their, enemies fhall come 
againft them, and fhall be deftroyed, and their 
carcafes fhaii faii upon the mountains of Ifrael, 

and 



Univerfal ReJIoration, ■ 

and (hall be a prey to the fowls of heaven, and 
their flefh {hall be devoured by worms, which fhail 
not die, till they have eaten and entirely deftroyed 
their bodies. 

flf Thou {halt fall upon the mountains of Ifrael, 
thou and all thy bands, and the people that is with 
thee ; I wail give thee to the ravenous birds of eve- 
ry fort ? and to the beafts of the field, to be de- 
voured^ Thou fhalt fall upon the open field ; for 
I have fpc ken it, faith Adonai Jehovah. And it 
fhall come to pafs in that day, that I will give unto 
Gog a place there of graves in Ifrael, the valley of 
the paffengers on the eafl of the fea ; and it fhall 
flop the : nofes of the paffengers ; and there fhall 
they bury Gog, and all his multitude ; and they 
fhall call it, The valley of Rammon Gx>g, And 
feven months fhall the Houfe of Ifrael be burying 
of them, that they may cleanfe the land." (See 
Ezek. xxxix. 4, 5, 11, 12.} " And it fhall come 
to pafs> that every one that is left of all the nations 
which came again it Jerufalem, fhall even go up, 
from year to year, to worfhip the King, Jehovah, 
of Hofts, and to keep the fealt of tabernacles." 
Zech. xiv. 16. " And it fhall come to pafs, that 
from one new moon to another, and from one fab- 
bath to another, fhall all flefh come to worlhip be- 
fore me, faith Jehovah. 5> Ifaiah, feftvij 21. And 
they that fhall come up ta Jerufalem, to worfhip- 
the Lord,, during^ the time that thefe bodies fhall 
lie in the open field, fhall go forth, and- behold 
them in a flate of putrefaction, a prey to worms ; 
and all the nations of the earth fhall fee God's 
judgments executed upon thofe who dare to rebel 
againfl him, by making war againfl the Lamb, and 
againfl his army. Rev. xyii. 14. xix, 19.^ 
i • ~ It 



Dialogues en the 



It is alfo intimated by Ezekiel, that a fire fliall 
be kindled, to burn their weapons of war, &c. 
which fhall lafl for fometime. Hear his words 3 
" And they that dwell in the cities of Ifrael fhall 
go forth, and (hall fet on fire and burn the weapons, 
both the fhields and the bucklers, the bows and 
the arrows, and the handftaves and the {pears ; 
and they fhall burn them with fire feven years; 
fo that they (hall take no wood out of the field, 
neither cut down any out of the forefts ; for they 
(hall burn the weapons with fire." See Ezek. 
xxxix. 9, 10. 

Thus have I endeavored to give the plain fenfe 
of the text to which our Lord alluded ; and 1 have 
not the fmalleft doubt of its being hereafter literally 
fulfilled. 

I will now endeavor to give what appears to 
me the meaning of the text before us : — Chriit 
threatened that thofe who would not deny them* 
felves, and cut oft thofe things that led them into 
fin, fhould hereafter fuffer infinitely greater incon- 
veniences, by being caft into hell fere. And, Oh ! 
who can conceive how dreadful a portion is threat- 
ened to fome tranfgre flora"! that they *' fhall drink 
of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured 
out without mixture, into the cup of his indigna- 
tion ; and fhall be tormented with fire and brim- 
ftone, in the prefence of the holy angels, and 
in the prefence of the Lamb : And the fraoke 
of their torment afcendeth up ages of ages ; 
and they have no reft, day nor night." Rev. 
xiv. 10, 11. 

Thus, as the enemies of God, who fhall be de- 
Aroyed near Jerufalem, fhall have their carcafes 
expofed, full of worms, and be an abhorring unto 

all 



Univerfdl Rejloration. 81 



all that behold them; fo thofe who are cafl into 
the burning lake, ihall be publicly expofed to 
fhame, and fhall fuffer openly for their crimes; 
and the fmoke of their torment fhall afcend up con- 
tinually, during thofe ages that the lake of fir,e 5 ox 
the fecond death, fhall continue. 

But when 1 confider that this terraqueous globe 
itfelf is probably to become the lake of fire, when 
the elements fhell melt with fervent heat; and yet 

■ after that dreadful fcene is pair, the earth itfelf 
fhall be renewed, and become the habitation of 
righteoufnefs -; I can hardly have any doubts, but 
all the rational- part of the creation, " fhall be de- 
livered from the bondage of corruption, into the 
glorious liberty of the " children of God, 3 ' See 
Rom. viii. 39, 20, 21, 22. 

Thus, if the lake of fire, or fecond death -itfelf,, 
fhall be deflroyed, fhall ceafe, and be no more ; 
there is an end '.to tormenting pain ; though, perhaps, 
fuch inward rejle&ions, fhall continue for fome time 
longer, (if not to eternity) which, though they fhall 
tend exceedingly to increafe the love of God in the 
fouls thus delivered, fhall fill them with fhame 
fimilar, or perhaps more pungent than we feel here 
on earth, when we are melted under a deep fenfe of 
our manifold tranfgrefiions, and oi the pardoning 
love of God at the fame time. — This feems ta 
me to be the meaning of fuch paffages as thefe : 

" O my God, make them like a wheel ; as the 
ftubble before the wind. As th^e fire burnetii the 
wood, and as the flame fetteth the mountains on 
fire ; fo perfecute them with thy tempeft , and make 
them afraid with thy fiorm. Fill their faces with 
fhame, that they may feek thy name, Q*. Jeho vah. 
Let them be confounded and troubled for ever ; 



82 



Dialogues en the 



yea, let them be put to fhame, and perifh : That— 
(our tranflators have added the word men, but 
the fenfe determines that the addition fhculd be) — 
" they may know that thou whofe name alone is 
Jehovah, art the Mod High over all the earth, 
Pfal. Ixxxiii. 13 — 18. 

ii The wife fhall inherit glory, but fhame (hail be 
the promotion of fools," Prov. iii. 35. 

" They fhall be greatly afhamed, for they fhall 
not profper ; their everlalling confufion fhall nev- 
er be forgotten," Jer. xx. 11. xxxiii. 40. 

M They (hall be afhamed, and alfo confounded, 
all of them; they fhall go to confufion together, 
that are makers of idols," Ifa. xlv. 16. " And all 
are incenfed againfl him, (Jehovah) fhall be a- 
fhamed," verfe 24. 

" For thus faith Adonia Jehovah ; I will even 
deal with thee as thou haft done, which hall def- 
pifed the cfath in breaking the covenant. Never- 
theless, I will remember my covenant with thee in 
the days of thy youth, and I will eitablifh unto thee 
an everlafling covenant. Then thou fhalt remem- 
ber thy ways, and be afhamed, when thou fhalt 
receive thy {iflers, thine elder and thy younger 
( viz. Samaria and Sodom) ; and 1 will give them 
unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. 
And I will eftablifh my covenant with thee, and 
thou ihalt know that I am Jehovah : That thou 
roayeft remember, and be confounded, and never 
open thy mouth any more, becaufe of thy fhame, 
when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou 
haft done, faith Adonai Jehovah," Ezek. xvi. 59 

-63- 

" Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, 
and your doings that were not good> and fhall 

loathe 



Univerfal Rejlo ration. 



loathe yourfelves in your own fight, for your iniqui- 
ties, and for your abominations. Not for your 
fakes do 1 this, faith Adonai Jehovah, be it 
known unto you ; be afhamed and confounded, O 
houfe of Ifrael," Ezek. xxxvi. 31, 32. 

But the lake of fire (hall go out, when all the 
purpofes for which it fhall be kindled are accom- 
plished ; and if fo, then it follows of courfe, that 
intelligences fhall be no longer tormented therein. 

Friend. But when God fays, that a fire fhall 
not be quenched, does it not neceffarily imply, that 
it fhall never ceafe burning ? 

Minifler. By no means ; for we read in feveral 
places of Scripture of fires that have ceafed, ages 
ago, that were fpoken of in as flrong terms as are 
ufed by Chrift, refpefting the fire of hell. 

As for inftance : In Lev. vi. 13. we read, " The 
fire fhall ever be burning upon the altar ; it mail 
never go out.'' This is a much ftronger expreffion 
than if it had been faid, " It fhall not be quenched 
for it is faid, " It Jhall never go out r' But furely, 
it mufl be ufed with fome limitation ; for we know 
that it hath ceafed, ages ago : And we read, that 
Daniel prophefied of the Median, that he fhould 
"caufe the facrifice and oblation -to ceafe," Dan* 
ix. 27 ; but it would certainly have been a weak 
argument againft Daniel's prophecy, that as Mofes 
had faid, The fire fhould never go out upon the al- 
tar, therefore the MefTiah could never caufe the fac- 
rifice and oblation to ceafe ; but it would be juft 
as good an argument againft Daniel's prophecy, as 
the words of Chrift are againft Ifaiah's : " For I 
will not contend forever, neither will I be always 
wroth ; for the fpirit fhould fail before me, and the 
fouls which 1 have made. I have fworn by myfelf, 

the 



B 4 



Dialogues on the 



the word is gone out of my mouth in righteoufnef&, 
and fhall not return, That unto me every knee 
lhall bow, every tongue fhall fwear, Surely fhall 
fay, In Jehovah have I righteoufnefs and 
ftrength ; to him fhall men come; and all that are 
incenfed againft him fhall be afliamed," Ifa. Ivii. 
16. xlv. 23, 24. 

In Jer. xvii. 27. we read : " But if you will not 
hearken unto me, &c. then will I kindle a fire in the 
gates thereof, and it fhall devour the palaces of Jer- 
ufalera,andz£ Jliall not be quenched" See alfo chap, 
iv. 4, xxi. 12. Amos v. 6. 2 Kings xxiL 17. 

Similar threatenings we find pofitively pronounc- 
ed by Ezekiel, at the command of God : 11 More- 
over the word of Jehovah came unto me faying, 
Son of man, let thy face towards the fouth, and 
drop thy words towards the fouth, and prophefy 
againft theforeft of the fouth field, and fay to the 
foreft of the fouth, Hear the word of Jehovah ; 
Thus faith Adonai Jehovah, Behold I will kin- 
dle a fire in thee, and it fhall devour every green 
tree in thee, and every dry tree ; the flaming fi am e 
fhall not be quenched, and all faces from the fouth 
to the north, fhall be burnt therein ; and all flefh 
lhall fee that I Jehovah have kindled it; it JJialt 
not he quenched" Ezek. xx. 45, 46, 47, 4S. See 
alfo Jer. vii. 20. 

Now the fe threatenings were furely executed; 
for the people did not hearken to God ; he did 
-certainly kindle a fire, and it burnt, and was not 
quenched, but contained Jerufalern and ail her 
palaces ; and the beautiful forefts that were fo 
much efteemed, fhared the fame fate : But what 
perfcri will argue, that the whole city and country 
mull be now in flames ; and rnufi have been con- 
taining, 



Univerfal Reft oration. 85 



fuming, from the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, 
becaufe of thefe expreffions, " The flaming flame 
fhall not be quenched," &c. fince we know that 
Jerufalem, and the country round about, have been 
fince inhabited, and will be again, in a more glo- 
rious manner than ever ? 

Neither will it help the matter to fay, that we 
mull underftand the fire ftguratively, for the anger 
of God, &c. for he declares by Zechariah, after 
the feventy years captivity, that he was " returned 
to Jerufalem with mercies" See Zech. i. 16. And 
though the prefent defolation of that land is com- 
pared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, 
Admah and Zeboim, Deut. xxix. 23 — 28. And 
Ezekiel not only fpeaks of it as defolate and wafte, 
but as having been always fo ; though we know it 
was formerly filled with inhabitants : (See Ezek. 
xxxvi. 34, 35, xxxviii. 8.) Yet all the prophets 
fpeak of a time to come, when it fhali be much 
more flourifliing than it hath ever been ; and Ifaiah 
fays, " Whereas thou haft been forfaken and hat* 
-ed, fo that no man went through thee ; I will 
make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many- 
generations. Thou fhalt no more be termed For- 
faken ; neither fhall thy land be termed Defolate ; 
but thou fhalt be called Hephzibah (my delight is 
in her J and thy land Bulah (married] ; for Je- 
hovah delig'hteth in thee, and thy land fhall be 
married/' Ifaiah Ix. 15. Ixii. 4. 

Thus we may fee, by thefe and many other paf- 
fages, that predictions apparently direftly contrary 
one to the other, may be aH fulfilled upon the 
fame land, people and perfons ; only allowing a 
proper time to each, without which we can never 
make fenfe of many prophecies. 

H Ifaiahj 



86 



Dialogues on the 



Ifaiah, fpeaking of the land of Bozrah, fayt 5 
And the breams thereof fhall be turned into pitchy 
and the duft thereof into brimftone ; and the land 
thereof fhall become burning pitch, It (hall not 
be quenched, night nor day .; the fmoke thereof 
fhall go up for ever ; from generation to genera- 
tion it fhall lie wade ; none fhall pafs through it, 
for ever and ever. But the cormorant and the bit- 
tern fhall poffefs it ; the owl alfo, and the raven, 
fhall dwell in it (birds that cannot live in fire, 
pitch, and brimftone, any better than men.) u And 
thorns mail come up in her palaces, nettles and 
brambles in the fortrefles thereof ; and it (hail be 
an habitation for dragons, and a court for owls. 
The wild beafts of the defart fhall alfo meet with 
the wild beafts of the ifland, and the fatyr fhall 
cry to his fellow ; the fcreechowl alfo fhall reft 
there, and find fcr herfelf a place of reft. There 
fhall the great owl make her neft, and lay and 
hatch, and gather under her fhadow ; there fhall 
the vultures alfo be gathered, every one with his 
mate. Seek ye out of the book of Jehovah, and 
read ; no one of thefe fhall fail, none fhall want 
her mate ; for my mouth it hath commanded, and 
his Spirit it hath gathered them. And he hath 
caft the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it 
unto them by line ; they fhall poffefs it for ever, 
from generation to generation fhall they dweli 
therein," Ifaiah xxxiv. 9, 10, 11, 13* 14, 15, 
16, 17. 

Now, in this pafTage, there are fuch things fpok- 
cn of as are impoffible to be fulfilled at once, 
without as great a miracle as was wrought for the 
three children in the furnace ; and which there is 
no reafon to expecl will be wrought in favor oi 

cormo- 



Univerfal Rejl oration, 



cormorants, bitterns, owls, ravens, dragons, fatyrs, 
wild beafts, thorns, nettles and brambles. In the 
10th verfe we read of a period, called for ever, 
wherein this land is to be on fire #nd is not to be 
quenched, night nor day ; and the fmoke of it is 
to afcend up for ever ; but in the 17th verfe, it is 
faid, that the befqrementioned birds and beafts 
fhall poffefs it for ever, even irom generation to 
generation fhall they dwell therein. But one of 
thefe periods muft end, before the other can be- 
gin ; the fire muft ceafe to burn, and the fmoke 
to afcend, before beafts can take up their conftant 
dwelling there, and birds can lay and hatch, and 
gather their young ones under their ihadow, and 
enjoy the fociety of their mates. And thus the 
whole prophecy may be fulfilled ; not in the fame > 
but in different periods : And thus alfo, may all the 
threatenings, and all the promifes, in the facred 
book, be accomplished \ not at once, but each in 
their feafon. 

It appears evident, that our Lord, by alluding 
to a fire that fhall burn on earth, and to worms 
that fhall devour the flefh of the flain, could not 
mean to prove the torments of men to be abso- 
lutely endlefs ; at leaft, the expreffions of the worm 
that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched, do 
not necej] "arily 'imply it;, which has been Sufficient- 
ly proved, by the paffages where the fame or fi rn - 
Bar expreffions are ufed, where yet the fubjecb 
cannot intend endlefs duration ; and this is all that 
can be neceftary to prove at prefent. 

As to the expreflion of being failed with fire, as 
every facrificewas faltedwith fait ; I am not fo clear, 
what might have been our Savior's intent in this 
^xgrefEon 1 but 1 think 3 in the firfl place, he in- 

tended^ 



dialogues on the 



tended to teach us, that they fliould not be annihil- 
ated by \hs fire, but preferved therein, to be tor- 
mented day and night, in the prefence of the holy 
angels, and in the prefence of the Lamb, during 
the ages of ages. I would alfo propofe, whether 
our Lord did not mean to intimate, that even the 
fire itfelf fliall be of ufe under his direftion, to 
humble, fubdue, and penetrate the ftubborn and 
difobedient rebels, that (hall be call into it. Fire y 
as well as fait, is a great purifier ; and preferves 
and cleanfes thofe things which are able to endure 
it : and is the great agent by which all metals are 
feparated from their drofs, and prepared for the ufe 
for which they were defigned. Under the law, 
all unclean things, that could endure the fire, were 
ordered to be caft into it, in order to their cleanf- 
ing. 

Friend. What you have faid concerning the fires 
that are reprefented a& unquenchable, in fever al paf- 
iuges of Scripture, is worthy of attention ; but you 
fliould confider, that thefe fires were all on earth, 
and in time, and therefore muft have an end, or ceafe 
to burn ; but the fire of hell is in eternity, and there* 
fore muft laft as long as eternity fhall endure. Pray, 
what can you fay to this ? 

Minijltr. Had tbofe unquenchable fires never gone 
out while earth endured, or while time lafted, there 
might have been. 4b me force in this argument ; but 
fince the continuance of the fire does not depend 
upon the ftafon in which it is kindled, but upon the 
combujlables that feed and fupport it, this can be no 
obje&ion : Therefore, fince thofe unquenchable 
fires that have been mentioned, were kindled on 
earth, and yet not burn while earth lafted, but 
|$ye goa.e out long ago ; there is no neceffity o£ 

granting, 



ifnherfal Reft oration. 



granting, (even though we fhould admit your prem- 
ises of the fire of hell being kindled in eternity)' 
that the unquenchable fire of the burning lake 
mujl unavoidably burn to all eternity, merely be* 
eaufe it is fuppofed to belong to that flate : But if 
pumfhments only belong to thofe ages of ages be- 
fore Chrifl fliall refign the kingdom to the Father, 
and the lake of fire {hall be this ten aqueous globe, 
difTolved, or melted, with fervent heat ; then the 
ground is changed, and the whole objection vanifh- 
es of courfe. 

Friend. As you have come over this objection 
better than I expected you could, 1 fhall leave it 
for the prefent, and confider more fully, when I 
am by myfelf, what you have laid upon this Sub- 
ject ; and fhall now propofe the greateft objection 
that can be brought againft the Reftoration of all 
men, from the Scriptures ; and which, it you can 
fairly anfwer, I fhall be almoft perfuaded to believe 
with you ; but I am perfuaded that you will be hard- 
put to it. 

Minijler. Produce your caufe, and bring forth 
your ftrong reafons, that we may hear them ; and 
if I am filenced, I will not be afhamed to acknowl-- 
edge it with all my heart* 

Friend. I fliall bring my objection from the Scrip- 
tures, and flate it with the utmoft precifion that I 
am able:- — It is the fin againft the Holy Ghoft, of 
which our Savior fpeaks in the moll awful man- 
ner ; faying, "Wherefore I fay unto you, all man- 
ner of fin and blafphemy fliall be forgiven ul to 
men; but the blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft 
fhall not be forgiven unto men. And whofoever 
fpeaketh a word againft the Son of man, it fhall 
{fir may) be forgiven him \ but whofoever fpeaketh 
p~ 2 againft-- 



9° 



Dialogues- on the 



againfl the Holy Ghoft, it fhall not be forglvei? 
him, neither in this world ( or age) neither in the 
world f or age) to come. Verily, I fay unto you, 
all fins fhall f or may)- be forgiven unto the fons of 
men, and blafphemies wherewith foever they fhall 
blafpheme ; but he that fhall blafpheme againfl the 
Holy Ghoft, hath never forgivenefs, for hath not 
forgivenefs to the age) but is in danger of eternal 
damnation," St. Matth. xii. 31, 32. St. Mark, 
iii. 28, 29. This is fuch a matter of importance^ 
that three of the evangelifls notice it. St. Luke 
hath it thus : 4< And whofoever fhall fpeak a word 
againfl the Son of man, it fhall for may) be forgiv- 
en him ; but unto him that blafphemeth againft 
the Holy Ghoft, it fhall not be forgiven," St. Luke ? 
xii. 10. St. Matthew faith, this fin fhall not be 
forgiven in this world, nor in that to come ; St, 
Mark, that fuch an one hath never forgivenefs^ 
but is in danger of eternal damnation ; and Su 
Luke pofitively faith, it fhall not be forgiven s- 
And, to confirm the matter flill more, if poffible 9 
St. Paul faith, " For it is impoffible for thofe who 
were once enlightened, and have tafled the heav- 
enly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy 
Ghoft, and have tafled the good word of God, 
and the powers of the world to come ; if they 
flialt fall away,/^^, and have fallen away) to re* 
new them again to repentance ; feeing they cruci- 
fy to themfelves the Son of God ; afrefh, and put 
him to an open fhame. For if we fin wilfully, 
after that we have received the knowledge of the 
truth, there remaineth no more facrifice for fins, 
but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and 
fiery indignation, which fhall devour the adver- 
ferjes. He that defpifed Moies's law, died with- 
out, 



Univerfal Reftoration. 



9* 



out mercy,. by the mouth of two or three witnef- 
fes : Of how much forer punifliment, fuppofe, ye> 
fhall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden 
under foot the fori of God, and hath counted 
the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was fanc- 
tified, an unholy thing, and hath done defpite un- 
to the Spirit of grace ?" Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6, x, 26, 
27, 28, 29. And the fame Apoftle direfts us, 
faying ; " Looking diligently, left any man fail of 
the grace of God ; left any root of bitternefe. 
fpringing up trouble you, and thereby many be 
defiled : Left there be any fornicator, or profane 
perfon, as Efau, who for one morfel of meat fold 
his birthright. For ye' know how that after- 
wards, when he would have inherited the bleffing,. 
he was rejected ; for he found no place of re* 
pentance, though he fought it with tears." Heb* 
xii. 15, 16, 17. 

And St. John, the beloved difciple, fays ; " If 
any man fee his brother fin a fin which is not 
unto death, he fhall afk, and he fhall give him 
life for them that fin not unto death. There is a 
fin unto death : I do not fay that he fhall pray for 
it," 1 John v. 16. 

Now here is a fin for which there is no forgive- 
nefs, neither in this world (or agej or in that to 
come; which fhall not be forgiven at ail ; he that 
committeth it hath never forgivenefs, is in danger 
of eternal damnation ^ he cannot be renewed again 
to repentance, becaufe he hath crucified Chrift to* 
himfelf afrefh, and hath put him to an open ftiame ; 
having finned wilfully and malicioufly, after receiv- 
ing the knowledge of the truth, to fuch no more 
facrifice for fins remaineth ; judgment and fiery in- 
dignation are his certain, portion, he is an advert 



Dialogues on tlie 



£ary ? and muft be devoured ; a forer puniflimenir 
than death without mercy awaits him, of which 
he is worthy, for that he hath trodden under foot 
the Son of God, the only Savior, and hath count- 
ed the precious blood of the covenant, wherewith 
he was fan£lified, and which alone is able to cleanfe 
from fin, an unholy thing; and hath done defpite 
to the Spirit of grace, which is only able to renew 
the heart, and therefore the cafe of fuch mull be 
defperate ; for if fuch an one, like Efau, fhould 
wifh to repent and gain what he had loft, it could 
not be, for he would find no place for repentance, 
though he might feek it carefully with tears ; for 
having committed the fin unto death, for which no 
prayer is to be made, no interceflion offered up, 
he is bound over to the fecond death, the lake of 
fire and brim (lone, and mu ii bear the punifhmenc 
of his fins for ever and ever ! ! ! — What fay you; 
to this ? 

Mimjler. As when Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel- 
his dream, he was aftoniihed for one hour at the 
greatnefs of the punifhment which he faw would 
inevitably come upon the King ; much more rnuft 
all thofe be, who read and confider thefe dread- 
ful threatenings, which muft furely come upon all 
thofe who have finned in the manner defcribed ! I 
fliall make a few obfervations upon thefe moft ter- 
rible paffages of Scripture ; partly to prevent fee- 
ble minds from falling into defpair, that may fee 
them collefcled in one flriking view ; partly to cure 
proud minds of prefumption ; and partly to fhew 
that the doftrine of the Reltoration may be defend- 
ed, notwith (landing. 

i. We are fure that the Scribes and Pharifees of 
cur Savior's time,, who blafphemoufiy afcribed 

his 



Univtrfal Reftoration. 



95 



his miracles to the power of the devil, did, in the 
moft direft and undeniable manner, commit that 
fin ; and fome are doubtful whether it can be com- 
mitted by any in thefe days. 

2. It is generally acknowledged, that the He- 
brews were in danger of committing that fin, by 
openly and wilfully apoflatizing from Chriftianity,. 
and publicly renouncing Chrift and his falvation, 
and blafphemirig againft the Holy Ghoft, after 
having been partakers of its extraordinary gifts. 

3. It cannot be committed by ignorant perfons, 
nor without a confiderable degree of malice pre- 
penfe; light in the underitanding, and malice in 
the heart, are neceffary ingredients of this dreadful 
crime ; and it appears to me, it muft be committed 
openly, and that it cannot be committed in thought 
only. 

4. Under the Levitical difpenfation there were 
many unpardonable fins- — crimes that could not be 
forgiven or overlooked, and for which no atone- 
ment could be made, and which were punifhed 
with death, without mercy ; other crimes, unlefs. 
facrifices were offered, and repentance took place,, 
fubjefted the parties to death alfo ; but, under the 
gofpel, there is but one crime that is properly un- 
pardonable, and that abfolutely fubje&s the perfon 
guilty of it to the fecond death ; yet many other 
fins are threatened with the fame punifhment con-, 
ditionally, but they may be forgiven, and not pun- 
ifhed at all ; but this one muft as certainly be 
punifhed with the fecond death, as murder or any 
other crime, was by the law of Mofes punifhed 
with the death of the body without mercy of for- 
givenefs. Forgery is the unpardonable fin of Eng- 
land ; people frequently fuffer death for other 



$4 Dialogues on the 

crimes, as ^ell as this; but other offences are 
fometimes forgiven, but this never ; it is always 
puniflied with death. This circumftance may it* 
lu Urate ray meaning. The fin againft the Holy 
Ghoft is an offence of that kind, that, either owing 
to its uncommon malignity (as is mod likely) or 
fome other caufe, expofes the guilty perfon to the 
age of judgment, from which he cannot efcape by 
repentance, pardon, and fprinkling of the blood of 
Chrift, as other finners may ; neither can he be at 
prefent born of the Spirit, to which he hath done 
defpite ; nor can he be reclaimed by any poffible 
means, in this age, or in the age that is to fuc- 
ceed this, but is inevitably bound over to fuffer 
the inconceivable torments of the fecond death, or 
lake of fire and hrimftone after the day of judg- 
ment. 

5. There is no kind of difpute between us, re- 
fpecring the certainty of the punifhment of fuch ; 
in this we both agree : He that finneth againft the 
Holy Ghoft, is in danger of eternal damnation, 
or judgment, or the fecond death — The queftion 
is, Shall there ever come a time, when the fecond 
death, or lake of fixe, Giall no more exift ? If this 
can be proved, the conclufion will be evident, viz. 
that not one fhall remain under the power thereof 
to all eternity : Upon this, and this alone, depends 
the folution of this awful, interefting, and mod im- 
portant queftion ; and 1 confider all other anfwers 
as mere quibbles, compared with this. And if it 
cannot be proved that a time will come, when all 
that bears the name of death fhall be deftroyed, 
thofe who commit the fin unto death, muft, at lea ft; 
be allowed to ftand as exceptions to the general 
sule; and. I am apt to think, the rule itfelf will 



Univerfal Rejloration. 



i>e overthrown. I fhall therefore labor this point 
a little ; and if I fhouid be fo happy as to prove 
to your fatisfa&ion the total deftru&ion of death, 
it will anfwer many other objeftions as well as this. 
My only refuge is Scripture ; if that fails me, I 
fhall not prefume to purfue the fubjeft farther. 

Ifa. xxv. 8. "He will fwallow up Death in vic- 
tory ; and Adonai Jehovah will wipe away tears 
from offali faces." Hof. xiii. 14. " I will ranfom 
them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem 
them from death, O death, I will be thy plagues ; 

0 grave, ( or hell) I will be thy deftrufition : Re- 
pentance (hall be hid from mine eyes." 1 Cor. xv. 
26. 44 The laft enemy that mall be deftroyed is 
Death" — or rather, as the words may more proper- 
ly be arranged, " Death" the laft enemy, fhall be 
deftroyed." The fecond death is infinitely more 
the enemy of man than the firft, and may there- 
fore be confidered as an enemy which God will des- 
troy. — Now, 

If the laft enemy (hall be deftroyed, there will 
not be one left. 

But the firft is true ; therefore alfo the laft, 
As, 

Would it not be highly abfurd to fay, that, Al- 
though the very laft enemy fhall be deftroyed, yet f 
many millions fhall remain to all eternity ? 

Verfe 56. < 4 The fting of Death is fin." While 
fin remains in exiftence, death will be able to fhew 
its fting ; but the time will come when death fhall 
have no fling to boaft of ; therefore fin, and con- 
fequently death of every kind, fhall be deftroyed. 

1 John iii. 8. 44 For this purpofe the Son of God 
was manifefted, that he might deftroy the works 
of the devil." Unlefs Chrift finally "deftroys the 

works 



Dialogues en the 



works of the devil, even all fin out of the univerfe, 
his purpofe mull be eternally fruftrated : 

But the laft can never be ; therefore the firft is 
true. 

Heb. ii. 14. " Forafmuch, then, as the children 
are partakers of flefh and blood, he alfo himfelf 
likewife took part of the fame ; that through death 
he might deftroy him that had the power of death, 
that is the devil." — Now what death has the devil 
power over ? The death of the body ? Or that of 
the foul, which eonfifts in enmity againfl; God, and 
feparation from him ? " To be carnally minded is 
death ; but to be fpiritually minded is life and peace. 
Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity againfl God ; 
for it is not fubjeft to the law of God, neither 
indeed can be," Rom. viii. 6, 7. If this death, 
with the confequence of it, is that which the devil 
hath the power of, then mufl this death be deftroy- 
ed. 

But, I think, the firft is true ; therefore alfo the 
laft. ~ 

Rev. xxi. 4, we read, " AndGodfhall wipeaway 
all tears from their eyes ; and there {hall be no more 
Death, neither forrow, nor crying, neither fhall 
there be any more pain ; for the former things are 
pafled away." Here is a ftate fpoken of beyond 
all death ; a ftate wherein, forrow, crying, and pain 
fhall be no more. This ftate is cotemporary with 
the new heaven and earth, after the lake of fire hath 
ceafed. 

Friend. W e have always underftood this paffage 
to relate to the death of the body, and even to the 
death of the righteous only ; but making this ftate 
cotemporary with the new heavens and earth, feems 
to throw a new light upon the fubje£L 



Univerfal Reftcration. §j 



Minifter. Moll certainly the word Death here 
implies the fecond death ; for we are informed, in 
the foregoing chapter, of the firft refurre£tion, 
even that of the martyrs, who were beheaded for 
the witnefs of Jefus, and for the word of God ; 
and fuch as had not worshipped the beafl and his 
image, neither had received his mark in their fore- 
heads, or in their hands ; then we read of a thouf- 
and years between this refurre£lion, and the reft 
of the dead living again ; after this, we find, that 
the dead, fmall and great, Hood before God, and 
'were judged ; and fuch as were not found written 
in the book of life, were call into the lake of fire, 
which is exprefsly called 46 the fecond death which 
as before obferved, is probably the earth in its 
melted ftate. In this chapter we find, that all 
things are to be made new ; and Death is to be 
no more, neither forrow, nor crying, neither any 
mere pain. But this muft be the fecond death, or 
lake of fire ; for the refurre&ion of all the bodies, 
both of the juft and unjufl, had been fpoken of 
before. 

Thus, as all fin, and all that bears the name of 
death, fhall be entirely deftroyed at laft ; the doc- 
trine of endlefs mifery feems to fall to the ground, 
or, at leaft, cannot be certainly .proved from Scrip- 
ture, but rather the contrary. 

The time muft come when all things fhall be 
fubjeft to Chrift, when he fhall deflroy death, the 
laft enemy, by deftroying fin, which is the fling of 
death ; fo this dreadful fin, as well as others, fhall 
be no more. For if this was not to be the cafe, it 
■never could be true, that " where fin abounded, 
grace did much more abound for it never would 
abound quite fo much ; neither would death and 
1 hell 



Dialogues on the 



hell be filent when God fhall afk the great quef- 
tions, " O death where is thy fling ? O grave for 
hell) where is thy vi£lory ?" for death could fay, 
Here is my fting, that fin againft the Holy Ghoft, 
which muft endure to all eternity, and which even 
divine grace fhall never deftroy ; I have, therefore, 
the vi£lory and dominion over thefe finners who 
have committed it, and will hold it while God him- 
felf exifts. Then death could never be deftroyed, 
nor fwallowed up in vi&ory; neither would for- 
row, crying, and pain ceafe ; neither could God 
ever be all in all, in any other fenfe, with re- 
fpe£l to them,- than he is now ; nor would every 
tongue fvuear ; neither would all things wholly be 
made new, nor all the former things ever pafs 
away ! Neither could the univerfal chorus of praife 
ever be fung by every creature, in heaven, or earth, 
and under the earth, and throughout God's wide 
domain \ and, finally, many Scriptures would nev- 
er feem to be fulfilled, in the fulieft fenfe. Rom. 
v. 20, 21. i( But where fin abounded, grace did 
much more abound ; that as fin hath reigned unto 
death ; even fo might grace reign, through right- 
eoufnefs, untoeternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord." 
Now, if grace fhall abound more than fin, it fhall 
be as univerfal, and more powerful : But the firft 
is true ; therefore alfo the la ft. If grace fhall be 
as extenfive as fin, and more powerful, all who 
have finned fhall be reftored : But the firft is true ; 
therefore alfo the laft. 

What confequences muft follow from the fup- 
pofition, that fome of God's creatures fhall always 
remain his enemies ! Either God created fome to 
be mifcrable t© eadlefs ages, or muft be fruftrated 

eternally 



Univcrfal Rtjloration. 



99 



eternally in his defigns, or all mufi be reftored at 
laft, and made happy by love and free love. 

The firft is blafphemous, the fecond is difhon- 
orable to God ; therefore, the third mull be true ; 
for I cannot think of a fourth conclufion. 

Friend. What do you think of the deplorable 
cafe of Efau, who, for one morfel of meat, fold 
his birthright ; and afterwards, when he would 
have inherited the bleffing, he was rejected ; for 
he found no place ot repentance, though he fought 
it carefully, with tears ?" 

Minijhr. He certainly loft, or rather fold, his 
birthright ; in confequence of which, he loft the 
bleffing belonging to the firftborn : But left any 
mould be led to conclude from this, that poor Ejau 
had no bleffings at all, the fame apoftle informs 
us. that, "By faith, Ifaac bleffed Jacob and Efau, 
concerning things to come,' 5 Heb. xi. 20. By this 
we find, he was bleffed, as well as Jacob ; but in 
a lefs degree. 

Friend, Do we not read, " Jacob have I loved ; 
but Efau have I hated ?" Rom. ix. 13. M ai. K 

,\knijler. Yes, mo ft certainly : But then this 
love and hatred, fo called, was manifefted to their 
pofterity, and not to their perfons, in the manner 
defcribed by the prophet : M 1 have loved you, faith 
Jehovah; yetye fay, Wherein haft thou loved us? 
Was not Efau Jacob's brother ? faith Jehovah ;. 
yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Efau, and laid his 
mountains and his heritage wafte, for the dragons 
of the wildernefs," This manifeftation of hatred 
did not affeel the eternal ftate of tkeir fouls, but 
their condition in this world : God declared, that 
Jacob/ s feed fhould exift as a diftinS people to the 



Dialogues on the 



end of time, but that Efau's fliould not ; and tbis^ 
difference is evident ; for the remains ot Efau's feed 
were, in the days of the Maccabees, incorporated 
with the feed of Jacob, and exifted no more for 
ever, as a nation by themfelves. From Jacob's, 
race the Meffiah was to come, and all nations were 
to be bleffed in the feed of Ifrael. In all thefe in- 
fiances, and in many others, there was a manifeft 
preference of Jacob to Efau ; but nothing like pofi- 
tive hatred can be intended. 

Chrift fays, (St. Luke, xiv. 26.) " If any man ; 
come to me, and hate not his father and mother,, 
and wife, and children^ and brethren, and fitters,, 
yea, and his own life a!fo, he cannot be my difci- 
ple.' 5 But we cannot fuppofe our Lord intended 
pofitive, but comparative hatred ; according to St. 
Matth. x. 37. He that loveih father or mother 
more than me, is not worthy of me ; and he that: 
loveth fon or daughter more than me, is not wor- 
thy of me. 

Friend. What you have faid upon this fubjeft 
appears to have fome weight, and I will confider 
it more fully hereafter ; but I muft beg leave to afik 
you, how you get over that great gulph which 
is placed between the regions of Paradi/e and Ge- 
henna, of which Abraham fpeaks to the rich man ; 
faying, And befides all this, between us and you 
there is a great gulph fixed; fo that they which 
would pafs from hence to you, cannot ; neither can 
they pafs to us, that would come from thence."' 
Does not this imply the abfolute impoflibility of 
the rich man's being ever reftored ? 

Minifter. You have afked me many queflions 
give me leave to afk you one,— Bo you believe, 

that 




Ifniverfal Reparation* 



101 



that Jefus of Nazareth was able to pafs that impaf. 
fable gulph ? 

Friend* Indeed, that is a queftion I never heard 
propofed before ; and which I am not prepared to 
anfwer, without farther confideration. Pray, be 
fo kind as to give an anfwer yourfelf, and tell me 
what you think of it* 

Minifter. I believe, that with man it is impoffi- 
ble ; but with God all things are poffible : And I 
believe, that Jefus Chrift was not only able to pafs, 
but that he a&ually did pafs that gulph, which was 
impaffable to all men, but not to him : And he af- 
fures St. John, that he had paffed it, and not only 
fo, but that he had the keys of the fame in his pof- 
feiTion ; for he faith,. " Fear not, I am the firft and 
the laft ; I am he that liveth, and was dead ; and 
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have 
the keys of hell and death/' And St. Peter informs- 
us> that " Chrift once fufFered for fins, the juft 
for the unjuft, (that he might bring us unto God) ; 
being put to death in the flefh, but quickened by 
the Spirit ; by which alfo he went and preached 
to the fpirits in prifon ; who fometime were difo- 
bedient, when once the long fuffering of God 
waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was a 
preparing And he alfo tells us,. that we " fliali 
give account to him that is ready to judge the 
quick and the dead* For, for this caufe was the 
gofpel preached alfo to them that are dead," (in 
diftin&ion from them that are quick) " that they 
might be judged according to men in the flefh, but 
live according to God in the fpirit." See Rev. i. 18.. 
l Pet. iii. 18, 19, 20. iv. 5, 6* 

Friend. You know, the common opinion is, that 
the Spirit of God, in Noah, preached unto the in- 



habitants 



102 



Dialogues on thh 



habitants of the old world ; who, in St. Peters 
time, were {hut up in the prifon of hell : But I muft 
confefs, it appears to me a very dark text. 

Minijier. If you only obferye how particular? 
the expreflions are in thefe texts*, I think it will 
foon appear that not the Spirit of God in Noah, but 
the fpirit, or foul, of Ghrift in its difembodied 
ftate, is here intended* His body was doubtlefs> 
quickened, by his foul, or fpirit coming into it; 
again : Was it not ? 

Friend. It feems mofi reasonable to believe it; 
was. 

Minijier. Then obferve the next words, he went / 
here the idea of a journey to a diftant place is in-~ 
timated, the original word being expreflive of an 
aftual paffage from one place to an another, and h ; 
the fame that is ufed in ver. 22, for the afcenfion* 
of Chrift into heaven, fo that he appears to have 
gone into the prifon in the fame proper fenfe, as 
he afterwards went into heaven. He actually 
journeyed to the place of confinement, and preach- 
ed to the fpirits, &c. He preached the gojpel no 
doubt,. not to men in the body, but to the fpirits + 
to thofe in a difembodied ftate ; not only fo, but 
to the fpirits in prifon : ■ Had they not been in the * 
prifon, Chrift would not have gone into the prifon 
to preach to them* But, who were thefe fpirits ?- 
St. Peter informs us, that they are thofe who were 
f 0 met ime dif obedient ; but this expreflion intimates, 
that the time is perfectly paft ; as, " Ye were the 
fervants of fin ; for when ye were the fervants> 
of fin, ye were free from righteouihefs," Rom. vu 
17,20. St. Peter tells us when they were difo- 
bedient ; when once the longfujfering oj God waited' 
in the days oj Noah, while the %rk ...mas a preparing :■ 

Here- 



Univerfal Reft oration: 



Here he evidently diftinguifhes the two periods of 
their vifitation ; one is called the preaching of 
Chrift, by his fpirit, after he was put to death in 
the flelh ; . and the other is called the longfuffer- 
ing of God, which waited in the days of Noah, 
while the ark was a preparing. The longfuffering. 
of God waited upon them, before they were drown- 
ed, w T hile the ark was building ; but Chrift preach- 
ed to them when they were fpirits in prifon. They 
were difobedient to God's iongfuffering ; but it is 
not certain that they were fo when Chrift preached 
to them ; but the contrary is intimated in thefe 
words : " For, . this caufe was the g of pel preached " 
alfo to them that are dead," &c. .This cannot iri*. 
tend thofe that are fpirit u ally dead only, but thofe 
whofe bodies are dead; becaule we here find the 
dead fet in oppofition the quick, or thofe whofe 
bodies are alive, and not thofe that are fpirit ually 
alive ; for we may obierve, that whenever the 
words quick and dead occur, by quick, we always 
underftand thofe whofe bodies are alive ; and by 
dead, thofe who have ceafed to exift here. 

A£is, x. 40, &c. St. Peter, in his fermon to Cor- 
nelius and his family, informed them of Jefus, 
who was (Iain, whom " God raifed from the dead, . 
and Qiewed him openly; not to all the people, 
but unto witneffes, chofen before of God ; even 
to us, who did eat and drink with him, after he 
rofe from the dead. And he commanded us to 
preach unto the people, and to teftify, that it is 
he, who was ordained of God to be the judge oi 
quick and dead" And St. Paul fays to Timothy, 
I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the 
Lord Jefus Chrift, who mall judge the quick and 
the, dead at his appearing, and his kingdom ; 

preach 1 



Dialogues on the 



preach the word," &c e See 2 Tim. iv. 1. So, in 
1 Pet. iv. 5, the words quick and dead 1 are ufed irr 
the fame manner ; and then immediately, while 
the idea is warm in our minds, the apoftle gives us 
the reafons why the gofpel was preached to the 
dead y ( or the fpirits in prifon) of which he had be- 
fore informed us, and now repeats again, and af- 
fures us, that it was, that they might be judged ac~ 
cording to men, in the flejli ; or, as though they had 
heard it while they were alive in the flefti ; but alfo, 
that they might live according to God, in the fpirit. 
The gofpel not only was, but is, preached to them 
that are dead, in a moral or fpiritual fenfe. It need 
not have been faid ; For, for this caufe was the 
gofpel preached ALSO to them that are dead, if only 
the fpiritually dead are intended ; for it is rarely 
preached to any other but fuch. Why fhould it 
be faid, that they might be judged according to^men in 
the Jlejh, if they were men in the flefh at the time 
when it was preached to them ? 

This paffage proves the exiftence of the fouls after 
the death of the body ; for unlefs the fouls of the 
antediluvians exifted after the drowning of their 
bodies, Chrift could not have preached to them ia 
prifon t But the dead being oppofed to the quick in 
this paffage, fufficiently, and even inconteftibly, 
determines the fenfe. 

With a little attention, we may eafily be con- 
vinced, that Chrift was not only defigned to be a* 
Covenant of the people, (meaning the Jews) and 
a Light to the Gentiles ; which two descriptions^ 
comprehend all the living ; but alfo, to bring out 
the prifoners from the prifon, and them that fit 
mdarknefs out of the prifon houfe; which (it it 



Uhiverfal Rejlcraticn* 105 



be not a repetition) mull intend the dead, as all the 
living were mentioned before. 

"And he faid, It is a light thing that thou, 
fhouldefl be my fervant, to raife up the tribes of 
Jacob, and to refiore the prefeived of Ifrael : I 
will alfo give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that, 
thou mayeft be my faivation unto the ends of the 
earth. Thus faith Jehovah, In an acceptable 
time have I heard thee and in a day of faivation 
have I helped thee ; and I will prefer v'e thee, and 
give thee for a covenant to the people, to eftab- 
lifh the earth, to caufe to inherit the defolate her- 
itages." Thus far the Redeemer's work feems lim- 
ited to the earth,, and refpefts the living : But 
the prophet goes much farther, and fays, " That 
thou mayeft fay to the prifoners, Go forth ; to 
them that are in darknefs, Shew y.ourfelves ; they 
fhall feed in the ways, and their p^ flares fhall be 
in all high places. They i 11 all not hunger, nor 
thirft ; neither fhall the heat nor fun fmite them ; 
for he that hath mercy upon them fhall lead them, 
even by the fprings of water fhall he guide them." 
See Ifaiah, xlii, 6, 7. xlix, 6, 8, 9. 10, Compar- 
ed with Rev. vii. 14, 15, 16, 17. The word of 
the Savior, as defcrihed by the elegant pen of 
Ifaiah, (chap. lxi. 1,2, 3) feems to comprehend a 
great variety of particulars ; all which he hath 
performed already, or fhall execute in due time,. 
€< The Spirit of Adonai Jehovah is upon me ; be- 
caufe Jehovah hath anointed me, (1) to preach 
good tidings to the meek : (2) He hath fent me to 
hind up the broken hearted ; (3) to proclaim lib- 
erty to the captives, (4) and the opening, of the 
prifon to them that are bound : (5) To proclaim 
the. acceptable year of Jehovah, (6} and the day 



io6 Dialogues on the 

of vengeance of our God : (7) To comfort aH that 
mourn : (8) To appoint unto them that mourn in 
Zion, to give unto them, Fir ft > beauty of afhes ; 
Secondly, the oil of joy for mourning ; Thirdly y the 
garment of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs ; that 
they might be called, Fir/t, Trees of righteouf- 
nefs ; Secondly, The planting of Jehovah ; (and 
all jor this great end) — that he might be glorifi- 

Our Lord Jefus Chrift, by his procefs, hath laid 
a foundation for the recovery of all men ; " For to 
this end Chrift both died, rofe, and revived, that he 
might be Lord, both of the dead and living," Rom. 
xiv. 9. He paffed through all our Hates, that he 
might redeem us. He came down from Heaven 
— he was conceived in the womb of Mary— he 
was born of her — he lived in the world unknown 
■ — he fympathized with us in our forrows — he bars 
©ur fins in his own body, on the tree — he was bu- 
ried—he defcended into Hades — He arofe — afcend- 
eth — fnteth at the right hand of God — and maketh 
continual interceffion for us. 

It feemed neceffary, that our Savior fhould vififc 
men in all fituations, that he might redeem them. 
The apoftle informs us, faying, " Forafmuch a* 
the children are partakers of flefh. and blood, he 
alfo himfelf likewife took part of the fame; that 
through death, he might deftroy him that had 
the power of death, that is, the devil ; and deliver 
them, who, through fear of death, were all their 
life time fubjeft to bondage, Heb. ii. 14, 15. It 
was not only neceffary that he (hould die, to van- 
quifh death, and to redeem us from its power ; 
but it was equally needful for him to go into thofe 
places, where fpirits were confined in the regions 



Univerfal Refloration. 107 



darknefs, that he might gain univerfal domin- 
ion, fpoil principalities, and redeem the captives 
whom he had bought with his blood, in order that 
he might afcend up to Heaven, and open to his fol- 
lowers the gates of eternal life, 

" Wherefore he faith, When he afcended up on 
high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto 
men. Now that he afcended, what is it but that 
he alfo defcended firft into the lower parts of the 
earth ? He that defcended, is the fame alfo that af- 
cended up far above all heavens, that he might fill 
all things/' Ephef. iv, 8, 9, 10. " And having fpoil- 
ed principalities and powers, he made a {hew or them 
openly, trembling over them in it," Col. ii. 15. 

Thus our Savior by his divine procefs, hath 
obtained a right to open the prifon doors, and let 
the captives go free ; and though the rich man was 
in torments, where he could not get a drop of wa- 
ter to cool his tongue, and had judgment without 
mercy, becaufe he had Jhewed no mercy ; yet it is pof- 
fible, that, by the blood of the covenant, he may 
be fent forth out of the pit wherein is no water. 
See Zech. ix. 11. The Lord Jefus is able to take 
the prey from the mighty, and to deliver the lawful 
captive, Ifa. xlix. 24. 

" Such as fit in darknefs, and in the fhadow of 
death, being bound in affli&ion, and iron ; becaufe 
they rebelled againft the w ? ords of God, and con- 
temned the counfel of the Mod High ; therefore 
he brought down their heart with labor ; they fell 
down, and there was none to help/' — This evident- 
ly points out the deplorable, miferable flate of 
finners, cut off in their fins; having rebelled againft 
God's words, and contemned his counfels ; for 
which reafon he hath fhut them up in darknefs, 



sc8 



Dialogues on the 



and in the fhadow of death ; in fuch a Fituation, 
that no power but his x own, can give them the leaft 
help, much lefs releafe. Such circumftances fel- 
dom occur in this life ; but thefe words are a lively 
and afFe&ing defcription of the miferies of the fu- 
ture ftate. 

" Then they cried unto Jehovah in their 
trouble, and he faved them out of their diftreffes. 
He brought them out of darknefs, and the fhad- 
ow of death, and brake their bands in funder. 
O that men would praife Jehovah for his good- 
nefs, and for his wonderful works to the chil- 
dren of men ! For he hath broken the gates of 
brafs, and cut the bars of iron in funder," Pfal. cvii. 
10 — 16. 

This amazing deliverance feems to be defcribed 
in fuch language, as correfponds much better 
with the deliverance of the fpirits from their 
dreadful prifon, than with any temporal mercies 
that are beflowed on mankind here on earth. " The 
righteous fhall fee it, and rejoice ; and all iniqui- 
ty fhall flop her mouth ; VVhofo is wife, and 
will obferve thefe things, even they ftiall under- 
ffand the loving kindnefs of Jehovah,'' ver. 42, 

43- 

Thofe who are acquainted with the Divine char- 
after, and fee his defigns of mercy towards his 
creatures, fhall rejoice in the fame : They that are 
wife, fhall obferve thefe things, and dial! uiKier- 
ftand his loving kindnefs ; and that " Jehovah is 
good to all ; and his tender mercies are over all his 
works,'' Pfal. cxlv. 9. 

Thus, how impoflible foever it might appear to 
us, that the rich man fhould ev~?r be delivered, 
we muft remember, that ** with God nothing frail 

•be 



Univerfal Rejloraiion. 109 



be~ impoffible," St. Luke i. 37. " Is there any 
thing too hard for Jehovah ?" Gen. xviii. 14. 
" Behold (fays he) I am Jehovah, the God of 
all flefh : Is there any thing too hard for me ?" 
Jer. xxxii. 27. 

Our Savior fays, (St. Matt. xix. 24, St. Mark 
x. 25, St. Luke xviii. 25) " It is eafier for a camel 
to go through the eye a needle, than for a rich 
man to enter into the kingdom of God." Wheth- 
er the word here ufed, intends a camel, or a ca- 
ble, it certainly implied the greateft difficulty imag- 
inable, even amounting in the view of his difciples, 
to a natural impoffibility, or they would not have 
been as the evangelift expreffes it, exceedingly amaz- 
ed and ajlonijlied out of meafure at his words, 61 fay- 
ing among themfelves, Who then can be faved ?" 
But, though Jefus meant to reprefent the matter 
as in itfelt a kind of natural impoffibility, and ab- 
folutely impoffible to men ; yet he could not in- 
tend thereby, that it never fhouid be accomplish- 
ed^ becaufe he immediately adds, " With men 
this is impoffible ; but not with God : For with 
God all things are poffible," St. Mark x. 27. 
Therefore, though it was impoffible for men to pais 
the gulph between Paradife and Gehenna ; yet, as 
we have feen, Chrift was able, and therefore as 
we know not the ne plus ultra of his power to fave, 
we cannot pofiti vely conclude aga injl tkeReftoration, 
from this in fiance of the rich man, unlefs we could 
find fome pafiages of Scripture, where God has 
promifed never to reftore, or to reconcile fach to 
himfelf, whom he hath once caft off ; the contrary 
to which, I think, may be proved ; but I am at 
prefent confidering, that, in the nature of things, 
it is not impoffihie for God to reftore the rich 

K • man. 

1 * 



no 



-Dialogues on the 



nMn, if he fo pleafes ; and, confequently, others 
that are in the lame fituation. 

Behold the rich man in another world !- He 

feems now to have much more true benevolence ia 
him, than in his life time ; for when he could riot 
obtain a drop of water for his tongue, he pleads 
much moreearneftly for Lazarus to be fent to his 
five brethren, to teftify to them, left they alfo 
fhould come into the fame place of torment with 
himfelf. Here he urges the matter moft earneft- 
]y, and does not feem willing to be denied. This 
fhews him not to have been fo loft to virtue as Sa- 
tan ; fince he and his angels, though miferable 
themfelves, feek to make all men fo too, though 
their torments are increafed thereby. 

Add to all this, that Abraham called the rich 
man, " Son," and bade him remember, that in his 
lifetime he had his good things ; and likewife Laz- 
arus, evil things ; and that therefore it was but 
reafonable that the fcene fhould be changed ; that 
Lazarus mould be comforted, and he tormented. 
And I think, nothing can be fairly argued from 
his cafe, in favor of endlefs damnation : For in 
cafe he was doomed tofuffer while Godexijls, there 
could be no proportion between the fufferings, 
torments, and evil things of Lazarus on earth, and 
thofe which he endured in hell ; whereas it is inti- 
mated in the Scriptures, that all things are deter- 
mined by number, weight, and meafure. Let us 
hear what our Lord has faid upon the fubjecL St. 
Luke xii. 47, 48. "And that fervant who knew 
his Lord's will; and prepared not himfelf, neither 
did according to his will, mail be beaten with ma- 
ny ftripes. But he that knew not, and did com- 
mit things worthy of ftripes, mail be beaten with 

FEW 



Univerfal Rejl oration. 1 1 1 

FEW Gripes ; for unto whomfoever much is given, 
of him mall be much required ; and to whom men 
have committed much, of him they will -afk the 
more.'' But what difference, fo much to be notic- 
ed, could there be, if both were to be beaten to 
all eternity ? Or how could either be faid to have 
few, if there never was to be an end ? Impoflibie ! 
Rev. xviii. 7. 44 Plow much fhe (Babylon) hath 
glorified herfelf, and lived delicioufly ; fo much 
torment and forrow give her." All this appears 
|ufl and reafonable : But to fuppofe a poor ignorant 
Heathen, or a child of ten years old, will remain 
in mifery as long as the moll perfecuting Tyrant, or 
apoftate Chriftian, feems to contradict all the 
ideas we have of juftice and equity, as well as of 
goodnefs ; for in this cafe, who can fuppofe that 
each one is exaftly rewarded according to his 
works ? And efpecially, can any think, that mercy 
has any hand in a reward, where there is feeming- 
ly no proportion ? Whereas we read, (Pfalm lxii. 
12) M Aifo unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy ; 
for thou renderefi to every man according to his 
work. 5 ' 

Friend. Indeed, I could not have thought that 
fo much could have been faid upon that fide of 
the cafe ; and though I am not yet wholly fatif- 
fied, 1 mull confefs, fome of my great difficulties 
feem to be removed, from what you have faid ; 
2nd yet there appears fomething very dreadful in 
the account. Pray, do you underftand it as a par- 
able ? 

Minifler. I am rnoft inclined to think it is a 
piece of real hi (lory, known to our Savior, who 
was well acquainted with what paffed in the fpir- 
itualj as well as the natural world ; and who in* 

tended 



Dialogues on the 



tended thereby to give an awful warning to the 
Pharifees, (who were covetous) of the dreadful 
condition of wicked rich men in the next ftate ; 
and efpecially, of thofe who neglefl; or defpife the 
poor. 

Friend. I am inclined to think with you in this 
matter ; and therefore, without any farther delay, 
I (hall pafs to mention another ftrong objefiHon to 
the do&rine of the Reftoration of all men ; viz. 
the inftance of Judas ; of whom our Savior fays, 
" The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him ; 
but woe to that man by whom the Son of man 
is betrayed ; it had been good for that man, if he 
had not been born. St. Matt. xxvi. 24, St. Mark, 
xiv. 21. If Judas fhould ever be reftored, how 
could the Savior fay, Good were it for that 
roan, if he had never been born ?" I think you will 
find it difficult to remove this objection ; for, if 
he is ever to be happy, (though after many ages) 
it will be good for him that he was born. 

Minifter. 1 cannot think that this is fo ftrong an 
argument againft the general Reftitution, as molt 
that ufe it imagine. It was a common proverb 
among the Jews, when any great misfortune hap- 
pened to a man, or his family, to fay, 11 Good 
were it for that man, if he had never been born." 
And thus our Savior ufed it with great propriety 
refpe£ting Judas ; for who, that thinks with any 
reafon at all, would not have wifhed that he had 
never been born, rather than to have betrayed the 
dear Redeemer ? 

Friend, But can any thing lefs than endle/s dam- 
nation be fufficient to juftify the expreffion oi 
" Good were it for that man, that he had never 
been born i" 

Minijler 



Univerfal Rcfto-ration. 113 

Minijler. I am of opinion that even worldly- 
troubles (fhort as they are) may fufficiently juflify 
the exprefTion. There are a thou fa nd circumflan- 
ces into which the children of Adam fall, that 
make their cafe infinitely worfe than though they 
had never been born, even without fuppofmg a Hate 
of future punifhment at all. I had rather, a thou- 
sand tiroes, never have been born, than to have be- 
trayed Chrifl, even upon the fuppofition- that I had 
never been doomed to fuffer for it beyond this 
life. Job, when he had loll his fobftance, his 
children, and his eafe, opened his mouth, and, 
through excefs of grief curfed the day of his birth ; 
though it does not appear that he had any fear of 
future damnation, but the reverfe. 

" And Job fpake, and faid, " Let the day per- 
ifh wherein I was born ; and the night in which 
it was faid, There is a manchild conceived. Let 
that day be darknefs; let not God regard it from 
above; neither let the light Ihine upon it. Let 
darknefs and the fhadow of death {lain it ; let a 
cloud dwell upon it ; let the blacknefs of day ter- 
rify it. As for that night, let darknefs feize upon 
it ; let it not be joined unto the days of the year ; 
let it not come into the number of the months. 
Lo ! let that night be foiitary ; let no joyful voice 
come therein. Let them cur fe it that curie the 
day, who are ready to raife up their mourning. 
Let the ftars or the twilight thereof be dark^; 
let it look for light, but have none ; neither let it 
fee the dawning of the day ; becaufe it {but not up 
the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid iorrow 
from mine eyes. Why died I not from the womb ? 
Why did not I give up the ghofl, when 1 came 
out of the belly ? Why did, the knees prevent 
p~ 2 'me. ?? 



ii 4 



Dialogues on the 



me ? or, Why thebreafts that I fliould Fuck ? For 
now fliould I have been (till, and been quiet % 
I fliould have flept ; then had I been at reft, with 
kings and counfellors of the earth, who buiit defo- 
late places for themfelves ; or with princes, that 
had gold, who filled their houfes with filver : Or, 
as an hidden, untimely birth, I had not been ; as 
infants, who never faw light. There the wicked 
ceafefrom troubling ; and there the weary be at 
reft. There the prifoners reft together ; they 
hear not the voice of the oppreffer. The fmati 
and great are there ; and the fervant is free from 
his matter," See Job iii. 2 — 19. 

From this difcourfe, it feems, that Job thought 
it would have been better for him never to have 
been born, than to have fallen into fuch fore troub- 
les in this prefent life, without taking the other 
into his account ; but if he had known that he had 
been doomed to fuffer the amazing torments of 
the fecond death, in the lake of fire and brim- 
ftone 3 what would he have faid ? Even upon the 
fuppofition that it was only to laft for ages, he 
would have thought that his being born into this 
world, to be fitted for fuch a punifhment,. would 
have been the greateft curfe that could have befal- 
len him. 

If Job, who could fay, " I know that my Re- 
deemer liveth, and that he {hall fland at the lat- 
ter day upon the earth : And, though after my 
.{kin worms deftroy this body, yet in my fleik 
{hail I fee God ; whom I fhall fee for myfelf, and 
mine eyes feaii behold, and not another ; though 
my reins be confumed within me. He knoweth 
the way that I take ; and when he hath tried me, 
I ihaif come forth as gold, My foot hath held his 

fteps j 



Univerfal Reftoralion. 



fteps ; his way have I kept, and not declined ; nei- 
ther have I gone back from the commandment of 
his lips : I have efteemed the words of his mouth 
more than my neceflary food. Though he flay 
me, yet will I truft in him ; but I will maintain 
mine own ways before him. He alio mail be my 
falvation. My righteoufnefs I hold faft, and will 
not let it go ; my heart mail not reproach me fa 
long as I live." (See Job, xix. 25, 26, 27. xxiii. 
10, 11, 12. xiii. 15, 16. xxvii. 6.) And wha 
could make fuch a foiemn proteftation of his inno- 
cence and uprightnefs, before God and man. as 
we find in the xxix. xxx. xxxi. chapters of that 
book. If fuch a man had reafon to fay, " Where- 
fore, then, haft thou brought me forth out of the 
womb ? Oh ! that I had given up the ghofl, and 
no eye had feen me ! I mould have been as though 
I had not been ; I mould have been carried from 
the womb to the grave," (See Job x. 18, 19) with 
what amazing propriety might Chrift fay of Judas, 
the traitor, who finned in fuch a dreadful manner, 
and had fuch horrible guilt on his confcience; 
who died in black defpair, perifhed in fuch an aw- 
ful fituation, in his fins, and, probably, by his own. 
hands ; who fuffered the moft violent agitations of 
mind, died under the power of the horrid fuggef- 
tions of the great enemy of men, without one finite, 
or look of forgivenefs, from Jefus, or even daring 
to feek it; whofe forrow in this life far exceeded 
Job's, (for Job had no fenfe of guilt, treafon, and 
ingratitude; nor was he filled with rage, blafphe* 
my, and defpair) — and who muft probably have 
his portion in the fecond death ;- — *' Good were it 
for that man, if he had never been born ! even up- 




Dialogues on the 



on the fuppofition that his torments are not defign- 
ed to continue while God exi/ls. 

Jeremiah is another inftance much to my pur- 
pofe ; who wifhed that he had never been born, 
even at the very time when he knew the Lord was 
his helper ; only becaufe he had been put in the 
flocks by Pafhur, and had fuffered a little pain and 
fhame in a good caufe. He was not afraid of end- 
lefs damnation, nor yet of any future punifhment ; 
for he thus expreffed himfelf, in all the language 
of full affurance ; "But Jehovah is with me, as 
a mighty terrible One ; therefore, my perfecut- 
ors (hall (tumble, and they fl i all not prevail ; 
they fhall be greatly afhamed, for they (hall not 
profper ; their everlafting confuhon fhall never 
be forgotten. But, O Jehovah of Hofts, that 
trieft the righteous, and feeft the reins and the 
heart, let me fee thy vengeance on them (or, thou 
wilt let me fee, &c.) for unto thee have 1 opened 
iny caufe. Sing unto Jehovah, praife ye Je- 
hovah ; for he hath delivered tke foul of the pocr 
from the hand of evil doers. How ftrong his 
laith ! how full his affurance ! Yet it is evident, 
that he thought it would have been much better 
for him perfonaily, never to have been born ; 
for he immediately adds, " Curfed be the day 
wherein I was born ; let not the day wherein my 
mother bare me, be bleffed. Curfed be the man 
who brought tidings to my father faying, A man 
child is born unto thee, making him very glad.— 
And kt that man be as the cities which Jehovah 
overthrew, and repented not : And let him hear 
the cry in the morning, and the fhouting. at noon- 
tide : becaufe he flew me not from the womb ; ar 
tijat my mother might have been my grave ; and 



Umverfol Refioratidn, 



117 



her womb to be always great with me, Where- 
fore came I out mi the womb, fo fee labor and for- 
row, that my days fhould be confumed with fhame?" 
See Jer. xx. 1 1 — 18. 

Here is not a word about a flate of future pun- 
ifhment, much lefs tndltfs damnation^ and yet the 
good prophet Jeremiah thought, that it he had 
never been born, it would have been far better for 
him. 

Friend. I muft confefs, I never before confidered 
it pofiible to anfwer this objection ; you have done 
much towards folving it ; but you muft confider, 
that both job and Jeremiah paflionately exclaimed, 
and, through forrow, uttered fuch rafh words, as, 
in their cooler moments they repented of ; and 
therefore, what they fpake of themfelves cannot 
wholly fet afide the objection. Had they deliver- 
ed thofe expreffions as general truths, and declared, 
that men had much better never have been born 3 
than to have fufTerecI fuch degrees of wordly for- 
rev, it would have more than anfwered the objec- 
tion ; but, when men under grief exclaim in fuch 
a manner, we cannot ground a matter o\ fuch im- 
portance upon what they fay refpecling themfelves ; 
as their minds, being overwhelmed with trouble, 
and the immediate ienfations of pain,, are biaffed, 
and cannot utter the calm dictates of fober reaforu 
But Chrift, though under great forrows himfelf, 
faw the cafe of Judas fo deplorable, that Tie ex- 
preffed himfelf. thus refpe£ling him ; which was 
the fober truth, without exageration ; and could 
this be faid of him, or if any other of the human 
race, upon the fuppolition that mifery is not abfo- 
lutely endlefs ? 



Dialogues on ike 



Minijler. We do not find that Job or Jeremiah 
ever recanted, in their cooler moments, what they 
uttered in their forrows ; and our Lord, fpeaking 
of the deftru&ion of Jerufalem fays, 4< And woe 
xinto them that are with child, and to them that 
give fuck, in thofe days," See St. Matin, xxiv. 19, 
St. Mark, xiii. 17. Not becaufe of their future, 
endlefs damnation, in diflinclion from others ; but 
en account of their prefent trouble and forrow ; as 
is explained, Luke, xxt. 23. " But, woe to them 
that are with child, and to them that give fuck, in 
thofe days \ for there fhall be great diftrefs in the 
land, and wrath upon this people." And when 
the Savior was led to death, we read, " And there 
followed him a great company of people, and of 
women, who alfo bewailed and lamented him. — 
But Jefus, turning unto them, faid, Daughters of 
Jerufalem, weep not for me, but for yourfelves, 
and for your children. For behold the days are 
coming, in the which they fhall fay, Bleffed are the 
barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the 
paps which never gave fuck. Then fhall they fay 
to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, 
Cover us. For if they do thefe things in a green 
tree, what fhall be done in the dry ?' 5 St. Luke, 
xxiii. 27 31. 

And who would not, a thoufand times, choofe 
rather never to have been born, than even to fee, 
far lefs experience, the miferies which came upon 
Jerufalem and its inhabitants ? Would it not have 
been better for mothers never to have been born, 
than to have killed and eaten their own children fn 
the fiege ? And would it not have been better for 
the children never to have been born, than to have 
been food for their mothers ? 

But 



Univerfai Rejhration. 



But Solomon not only reprefents a Hate of great 
mifery and affliction in this life, as worfe than not 
to have been born, but alfo, a flate of the greateft 
profperity, if it ends in difgrace \ for he fays, M If 
a man beget an hundred children, and live many 
years, fo that the days of his years be many, and 
his foul be not filled with good ; and alfo, that he 
have no burial | I fay, that an untimely birth is 
better than be. For he (the untimely birth; cometh 
in with vanity, and departeth in darknefs ; and his 
name fhall be covered with darknefs. Moreover, 
he hath not feen the fun, nor known any thing ; 
this hath more reft than the other. Yea, though 
he live a thoufand years twice told, yet hath he 
feen no good f" (f . e. no equivalent good, to balance 
his difgrace.) " Do not all go to one place ?" All 
came from duft, and turn to duft again. See Ecclef* 

vi -3>4>5> 6 - 

1 he Mate here defcribed by Solomon, is not only 

infinitely better than the damnation of hell, though 
limited by certain periods ; but far preferable to 
many, if not'to molt fituations of men in this life ; 
and yet he prefers an untimely birth to a man who 
lives more than twice the age of Methufelah, and 
has an hundred children of his own, if he has not 
his foul filled or fatisfied with good ; and that he- 
hath no burial, or has not honor, (credit, or reputation) 
at his death. 

Long life and many children, were formerly ef. 
teemed as the greateft of biddings ; but as the 
things of this life cannot fill the foul with good ; 
fo a man had better never have been born, than to 
have enjoyed the good things of this world in the 
greateft profufion, if he dies in difgrace, and has 
no burial, or is not honored at his death. Yet, 

this 



120 



Dialogues on the 



this is not worthy to be named in the fame day 
with the damnation of hell ; yet, is frequently 
threatened as a great and terrible judgment ; which, 
if it falls upon a man, however he may have en- 
joyed long life, health, wealth, and all kinds of 
profperity ; it makes it worlefor him than if he had 
never been born, according to the decifion of God 
himfelf ; and, therefore, no wonder that Chrift 
faid of wicked Judas, " Good were it for that man 
if he had never been born. " 

Tkough I have anfwered you fo largely, yet one 
word might have fufheed to have anfwered the 
whole objection at firft ; viz. Had Judas died be- 
fore he bad been born, and perifhed from his moth- 
er's womb, he would never have finned, far lefs 
betrayed Chrift ; he would have entered into 
peace immediately, " where the wicked ceafe from 
troubling, and where the weary are at reft In 
that cafe, he would have efcaped the judgment 
that came upon him, and would have had more 
reft than thofe who fhould live in all the affluence 
of life two thoufand years, and beget each an hun- 
dred children, and yet fliould not be honored at 
their death. 

Some would have anfwered the objection fhort- 
er, by faying, Chrift promifed twelve thrones to 
his twelve apoftles, among whom Judas was one ; 
and therefore, he muft be reftored, or the promife 
cannot be fulfilled : See St. Matth. xix. 28. But 
this I do not infift upon ; neverthelefs, thofe who 
anfwer the objection this way, make an obferva- 
tion that may be worth attention ; viz. that Peter, 
fpeaking of Judas, faith, " Let his habitation be def- 
olate, and let no man dwell therein that is, Let 

his 



Univerfal Rejloration. 



his manfion be referved for him, let no man take 
pofleflion of it ; but " His bifhopric, or office, let 
another take." See A£ls, i. 20. compared with 
Pfal. Ixix. 25. cix. 8. But I am rather of opinion 
that the defolation of the habitation of the wicked, 
and the want of inhabitants in their tents, refpects 
this ftate, and is part of the curfe pronounced up- 
on all traitors ; and may therefore in an eminent 
fenfe, be applied to Judas, and alfo to the rebel- 
lious nation of the Jews at large ; and therefore, 
as thefe words do not intend their Reftoration, fo 
neither are they any objection to it ; for St. Paul 
applies part of the lxixth Pfalm to the Jews, as 
truly as St. Peter applies it to Judas : See Rom. 
x. 9, 10. And yet he fays, 44 1 fay then, Have 
they {tumbled, that they fhould fall ? God forbid : 
But rather, through their fall, falvaticn is come 
unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealoufy. 
Now, if the fall of them be the riches of the 
world, and the diminithing of them the riches of 
the Gentiles ; how much more their fulnefs ?" And 
thus, from the 11th verfe to the end of the chap- 
ter, goes on to fpeak of their being again received, 
reconciled, and grafted again into their own olive 
tree ; and that their blindnefs is only for a time : 
" And fo all Ifrael fhall be faved : There fhall come 
out of Sion a deliverer, and (hall turn away un- 
godlinefs from Jacob :" That God's covenant, or 
promife, is to take their fins away ; that they aie 
beloved for the fathers fakes ; that the gifts and 
calling of God are without repentance ; that, 
therefore, they fhall obtain mercy at lafl ; and that, 
for this very purpofe, God hath concluded them 
all {or ihut them upj in unbelief, that he might 
L not 



122 



Dialogues on the 



hot only punifh them thereby for their tranfgreffiom* 
and a!fo, through their unbelief, caufe the Gen- 
tiles to obtain mercy and falvation ; but alfo, that 
he might have mercy upon all thofe whom he had 
thus fhutrup in unbelief, without exception. See 
the whole chapter. 

Here, then, are three defigns, worthy of a God 
of infinite wifdom, power and goodnefs, in this 
one dark difpenfation, the rejection of the Jewiffa 

church and nation : i. That he might punilh 

them for their iniquity : — — 2. That others might 
come in their room, ftand in their office, and be 
made partakers of their privileges ; and 3. That 
they might be referved to mercy and forgivenefs at 
]aft. And what happened to a whole nation of 
traitors, might happen to an individual of that na- 
tion ; and vice yerfa. 

Friend. This is a fubjeft of great importance, 
and if you can maintain the fyftem you have ef- 
poufed, and anfwer the remaining objeclions that 
may be brought againfl it, it will moll certainly 
give me pleafure, and relieve my mind from great 
anxiety. I am a father of many children, and 
God knows the tears I have fhed on their account, 
but could I receive your views with what pleafure 
fhould I look upon them ! ! ! But I have many re- 
maining difficulties and objeclions (till to pro- 
pofe ; may God preferve me from error and falfe 
doclrine, 1 wifh to know what is really the truth 
in this matter, for above all things I dread decep- 
tion. 

Minifter. I allure you my friend that I (hould 
be as loth to deceive you, as you are to be deceiv- 
ed, and had 1 not the fureft confidence through the 
Lord of the truth and reality of this moll glorious 

fyftem fc 



Univcrfal Rejloration. 



123 



fyftem, and did I not find the higheft fatisfaftioa 
in it myfelf, I fhould never pre fume to hold it 
forth to others. But as 1 have an engagement that 
calls me elfewhere juft now, I muft beg you to ex- 
cufe me, hoping thatin a little time I (hall have an- 
other opportunity of hearing the remainder of your 
obje&ions ; and in the mean time 1 advife you to 
fearch the fcriptures, and pray God to lead you in* 
to all truth. 



£ND OF TBS SECOND DIALOGUE. 




DIALOGUE 



Dialogues cn the 



DIALOGUE III. 



F itnd T ^' a ^ t0 mtei w **k y ou » t0 nave 
A fome farther converfation upon the 

very important and interefting fubject of the final 
Rciioration. Since I faw you la ft I have had op- 
portunity of hearing fome very capital objections 
made againft this fyftem, which I beg leave to ftate 
m the plaineft and ftronge ft manner. 

Minijter. Your franknefs is well pleafing to me, 
and lam ready to hear whatever can be urged againft 
my fentiments, and will do my endeavor to anfwer 
all reafonable objections ; therefore propofe them as 
foon as you think proper. 

Friend: One grand objection that is very gener- 
ally made againft the doctrine of the Reftoration, 
is, that it tends to licentioufnefs ; that it is the doc- 
trine that the ferpent preached to Eve ; for we 
read, (Gen. iii. 4.) " And the ferpent faid unto the 
woman, Ye fliaii not furely die and that it is a 
doctrine calculated to give encouragement to the 
wicked to continue in their evil ways ; that it is 
*' faying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace 
and that this doctrine is as dangerous as that of 
the wicked proheteffes of Ezekiel's time, of whom 
God fays, " With lies ye have made the heart ot 
the righteous fad, whom 1 have not made faid ; and 
ftrengthened the hands of the wicked, that he 

fttould 



Univerfal Rtjloration. 12 j 



fhould not return from his wicked way, by promif- 
ing bim life. They fay unto them that iefpife me, 
Jehovah hath faid, Yefhall have peace ; and they 
fay unto every one that waiketh after the imagina- 
tion of his own heart, No evil fhaH come upon you, ' } 
Jer. viii. 11. Ezek. xiii. 22. Jer. xxiii. 17. 

It is faid. that it is the nature of God to lay the 
higheft poffible reftraint upon fin, and, therefore, 
he has threatened it with eternal, or endlefs punifh- 
ment ; and this is even found too weak to prevent 
the prevailing of iniquity. What a flood of impie- 
ty, therefore, would overflow the world, if it fhould 
be generally believed, that after fome ages of fufFer- 
ing, mankind mould be reftored to fome degree of 
happinefs ? Would not the reftrainis be wholly tak- 
en off from the lufts and paffions of the wicked, if 
once this do&rine fhould become prevalent ? Will 
you be fo kind as to give a fair and candid- reply to 
this objection ? 

Minijler. This objection is ftated with all poffi- 
ble force, I (hall, therefore endeavor to anfwer 
it as well as I can ; putting in this caveat, that if 
1 Ihould not anfwer it to your fatis faction, do not 
imagine that no folid anfwer can be given ; but im- 
pute it to my not being fufficiently mafler of mv 
fubjecl, or not being able to exprefs my mine fa 
clearly as I could wifh. As this objection is fre- 
quently made, and often ufed, by people who 
mean well, but have not confidered the fubjecl 
thoroughly, I {hall be as explicit as poffibly 1 can- 
upon it. 

I would firft obferve, that the great truths, or 
fir t principles, upon which the ReftoratioH is 
founded, and from which it is derived by natural 
anc eafy confequences, are far from lending to ii~ 
(£3T 2 centioufnefs 



126 



Dialogues en the 



centioufnefs : But, in order to make this evident, 
it will be proper here to fet them down in their or- 
der. 

Firft Principles, upon which the Bo Brine of the Final 
and Univerfal Rejlitution is founded. 

i. God is the univerfal and only creator of all / 
contrary to the ©pinion of the Manichees of old, 
-who believed the devil to be the creator of rnoft, 
if not all vifible beings : The Muggletonians, ol the 
fall century, and the Buchanites lately, affert nearly 
the fame fentiments ; contrary to Rev. iv. $$, Col, 
i. 16. Pfah c. 3. Numb. xvi. 22.1fai. ixiv. 8. Ezek. 
xviii. 4. Zeeh. xii. 1. and a vaft number of other 
Scx r iptures. 

Now, who can fay, that this noble thought, 
which 3$. Paul enlarges upon fo beautifully, (Acts, 

xvii. 24 ^30.} tends, in the leaft/to make 

men wicked ? Does it not tend to dignify and en- 
noble human nature, to be told, that God is our 
Father, Creator and Firfl Caufe ; and that we were 
made by his power, according to his will, and for 
his pleafure ; and that the chief end for which he 
made us, was, to glorify his name, and enjoy him 
forever ? — as the Affembly's Catechifm beautifully 
declares. This is one of the principles from 
which Go© himfelf deduces the certainty of the 
final end of wrath, as I have obferved before : — • 
" For 1 will not contend for ever, neither will I be 
always wroth ; for the fpirit fhould fail before me, 
and the fouls which I have made,' 5 Ifai. lvit. 16. — 
Thofe who venture to contradift their Maker, and 
fay, that he will contend for ever, and be always 
wroth. ; ought to be able, at leaft to give as good 

a reafon 



Univerfal Rejloration. 127 



a reafon why he will, as he has afiigned why he 
will not ; and confequently prove, that he hath 
net made all fouls ; which is the true founda- 
tion upon which endlefs mifery mull be founded^ 
and the only doftrine which is perfectly confiftent 
with it. 

The poor untutored Indians in America, argued 
(with a miffionary that was fent from Sweden to 
convert them) from the univerfal providence of 
God, that he, who was fo kind a Father as to pro- 
vide for their bodies all things needful, had not 
wholly neglefted their fouls : But this I do not 
infift upon, though, I think, the argument has 
weight in it ; and, certainly, the providential good- 
xiefs of God, and his long fuffering, tends to lead 
men to repentance ; Rom. ii. 4. 2 — Pet. iii. 9. 

2. The univerfal benevolence oj the Deity, or the 
/^i;^ of God to his creatures, is one of the firft 
principles from which the general Reftoration is 
deduced ; and who can fay, that this leads to li- 
centioufnefs ? If thofe who believe that God loves 
them, in particular, find that confideration the 
flrongeft obligation on them to love him again, and 
to obey his will ; by the fame rule 4 if all the in* 
dividuals of the whole human race, were to be- 
lieve that God loved each one of them, would not 
the fame caufe produce the fame effect ? And if fo,. 
can this be charged as a licentious do£t rine, which 
is exprefsly grounded upon a caufe which power- 
fully operates to produce holinefs ? Is there any 
thing like argument in this reafoning : I know that 
God loves me, and feeks to do me good ; there- 
fore, I nuift hate him. What {hould we think of 
a woman who {hould leave her hufband, and do 
all in her power againll him } and ihould be able 

to 



Dialogues on the 



to give no better reafon for it than the following t 
My hufband loves me, and I know it, and he has 
always loved me, and always will ; and, therefore, 
I am determined to hate, ridicule, defpife, arid con- 
teran him, and have left him for this very caufe, 
and am determined never to love or obey him 
more ? Bad as human nature is, I queftion wheth- 
er fuch inftances often occur. We commonly fay, 
that love begets love : " We love him, becaufe he 
fird loved us fays the Apoftle, i John, iy. 19* 
Therefore, the doftrine of God's univerfal benevo- 
lence, cannot lead to licentioufnefs, in any light in 
which it can be viewed ; for, if he really loves us, 
he will do all in his power to bring us to love him 
again, and to be like him ; and I am fure, the con- 
fideration of his love to us, goes as far as moral 
fuafion can go, to induce us to love him again, nay, 
the belief of it is acknowledged to be one of the 
ftrongefl motives to obedience ; and the love of 
God, fhed abroad in the heart, produces the beft 
effe£ls, and is the moft powerful principle, and 
fpring, of good and virtuous afcHons, that we are 
acquainted with. This being a firft principle, 
from which the univerfal Reiteration is concluded, 
we are happy to find, that " God is love :" aod 
that he " fo loved the world, as to give his only 
begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, 
fhould not perifh, but have everlafting life : For, 
God fent not his Son into the world to condemn 
the world ; but that the World, through him, 
might be faved/' See 1 John, iv. 16. St. Jo n, iiu 
16, 17. But it is not fo much my bunnefs now to 
fliew, that the fentiment is fcriptural, as to (hew 
that it is not of a dangerous tendency. The i al- 
lowing w r ords, however, are fo beautiful, that I 

take- 



Univerfal Rejloration* 



take the liberty to mention them : — But thou haft 
mercy upon all ; for thou canft do all things, and 
winkeft at the fins of men, becaufe they fhould 
amend. For thou lovefi all the things that are, 
and abhorreft nothing which thou haft made ; for 
never wouldeft thou have made any thing, if thou 
hadft hated it, And how could any thing have 
endured, if it had not been thy will ; or been pre- 
ferved, if not called by thee ? But thou fpareft all ; 
for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of fouls. 
For thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things % 
Therefore chafteneth thou them, by little and little, 
that offend, and warneft them, by putting them in re- 
membrance wherein they have offended, that leav- 
ing their wickednefs, they may believe on thee, O 
Lord. For thy power is the beginning of right- 
eoufnefs ; and becaufe thou art the Lord of all, it 
maketh thee to be gracious unto all. But thou, O 
God, art gracious and true ; long fuffering, and 
in mercy ordering all things. For if we fin, we 
are thine, knowing thy power ; but we will not fin % 
knowing that we are counted thine ;' ? Wifdom of 
Solomon, xi. 23— — 26. xii. I, 2, 16. xv, I, 2, 
ts Jehovah is gracious and lull of companion, 
flow to anger, and of great mercy. Jehovah is 
good to all ; and his tender mercies are over all his 
works. All thy works fha!I praife thee, O Jeho- 
vah ; and thy faints (hall blefs thee,'' Pfal. cxlv* 
8, 9, 10. 

3. Another great principle, upon vhich the 
Reftoration depends, is, that Christ died for all ; 
" We fee Jefus^ who was made a little lower than 
the angels, for the fuffering of death, crowned 
with glory and honor ; that he, by the grace of 
God, fhould tafte death for every man" [or all) 



Dialogues on the 



Heb. li. 9. u If any man fin, we have an Advo* 
cate with the Father, Jefus Chrijl, the righteous : 
And he is the propitiation for our fins ; and not 
for ours only, but alfo for the fins of the whole 
world" I John, ii. 1, 2. " For there is one God, 
and one Mediator between God and men, the Man 
Christ Jesus ; who gave himfelf a ranfom for 
till, to be teftified in due time," I Tim. ii. 6. 

I need not multiply paffages to prove that Chrijl 
died for all ; for though the universality of his death 
is not exprefsly aflerted, in every text where it is 
mentioned that he died, it muft always be under- 
ftood ; becaufe it is never denied in any place, and 
is plainly, and pointedly declared in thofe which 

1 have quoted : And, befides, it is evident that in 
the apoftles time, the universality of the death of 
Chrift was a firft principle, univerfally acknowl- 
edged, and, therefore, St. Paul reafons from it 
as fuch ; which it would have been highly prepof- 
terous for him to do, if that had not been the cafe : 
As, for example, 46 For the love of Chrijl con- 
ftraineth us ; becaufe we thus judge, that if one 
died for all" (which is not difputed by any, and 
which we know to be a truth) '* then were all dead : 
And that he died for all ; that they who live, 
(hould not henceforth live unto themfelves, but 
unto him that died for them, and rcfe again,'* 

2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 

Friend. But have you never heard it argued that 
Chrijl did not die for all, becaufe he did not pray for 
all f 

Mini/ler. I remember, when a lad, I was fent 
to a neighbor's houfe, and overheard the good 
man, the matter cf the family, read in a book, after 
this manner ; M Chrijl did not die £or all, becaufe- 



Univerfal Rejloration, 



tie Sid not pray for all : I pray for them ; I pray- 
not for the world, but for thern which thou haft 
given me, for they are thine/' St. John, xvii. 9, 
And 1 then thought the argument conclusive : But 
1 am fiow at a lofs whether the author of that 
book meant to deceive his readers ; or, whether 
he had never read the chapter through critically : 
Tor, had he read the 20th verfe, he would have 
found thefe words, which would have overthrown 
his hypothefis : — " Neither pray I for thefe alone ; 
but for them alfo, who fhall believe on me through 
*heir word." If Chrijl had prayed for all, in the 
9th verfe, for whom he died, he could not have 
enlarged his prayer fo much in the 20th verfe, as 
to take in not them only, but all that (hould believe 
on him through their word ; Neither does he flop 
here, but goes on to pray for thofe that believe, 
in thefe words ; " That they all may be one ; as 
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they 
alfo may be one in us And, why is all this uni- 
ty prayed for among believers ? Surely, it hath 
never been accomplifhed ; but it fhall be, for this 
great and admirable purpofe ; viz. " That the 
world may believe that thou haft fent me. And 
the glory which thou gaveft me, 1 have given 
them ; that they may be one, even as we are one : 
I in them, and thou in me ; that they may be 
made perfect in one, and that the world may knovj 
that thou haft fent me, and haft loved them, as 
thou haft loved me," verfes 21, 22, 23. 

Friend. But when fhall the world believe, and 
know that Chrift is the Sent of God ? 

Minijter. When all that believe fhall be one, as 
the Father and the Son are one : When the great 
carriage of the Lamb (lull be celebrated, and his 

Bride 



Dialogues on the 



Bride fliall be one/in the bond of univerfal love and 
fellowfhip, as the Father and Son now are : When 
the Church fhall be perfe&ed in one ; fliall dwell 
in love, and dwell in God, as the Father dwells in 
the Son> and the Son in the Father : When Zion's 
watchmen fliall fee eye to eye : When all believers 
fliall fpeak the fame thing ; when there fliall be no 
more divifions among them ; when they fliall be 
perfeftly joined together in the fame mind, and in 
the fame judgment. 

This was the ftate that St. Paul befought the 
Corinthians to prefs after, and wiflied them to at- 
tain ; but he had the mortification to fee them fall 
fhort oi it, as all the Chriftian churches have, from 
that day to this. But when Chrijl fliall give that 
glory and honor to his Bride, which the Father 
gave to him, and fliall thus unite her to himfelf, 
in an indiflbluble union, and the feveral members 
of his body, the Church, fliall be as mnch united 
one to another, as the members of the natural 
body are ; or, to exprefs it in his own words, "As 
thou, Father, art in me, and / in thee When 
thus the Church fliall be one, in fpirit, love, de- 
fign, judgment, &c. as the Father and Son are ; 
then fliall the world believe, and believing, have life ; 
then fliall the world know him, whom to know is lite 
eternal : See verfes 2 and 3. But as this great caufe 
has never yet exilled, the effe8 has not yet follow- 
ed ; but when the ft WJt fliall be, the lajl fliall take 
place in confequence. 

The petitions in that in oft excellent prayer, that 
may, with great propriety, be called the Lord's 
Prayer, may be divided into four claffes : 1. For 
himfelf, verfes ift and 5th: 2. For his apoftles, 

9- 19 : 3. For them that fliould believe, through 

their 



Univerfal Rejloration. 133 



their word, verfes 20, 21, 22, 23 : And, 4, for 
the world, verfes 21, 23 ; as 1 havejuit obferved, 
and need not add any more upon io plain a mat- 
ter. 

Friend. Proceed, if you pleafe, to (hew, that the 
doftrine of the universality of the death oi Chrift 
does not lead to licentioufnefs. 

Minifter. It is evident that it doth not ; but, on 
the contrary, it is the flrongeft motive to all who 
believe it, to love and live to him who died for 
them, and rofe again * We are net our ozvn i but are 
bought with a price ; therefore, we are exhorted not 
to be the fervants of fin, flaves to our paffions, and 
ferVants to men ; but to glorify God in our bod- 
ies and fpirits, which are his ; and the apoftle be- 
feeches us, by the mercies of God, to prefent our 
bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto 
God ; which is our reafonable fervice. Jporaf- 
much, as we know that we were not redeemed 
with corruptible things, as filver and gold ; but 
with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a Lamb 
without blemilh, and without fpot : See 2 Cor. y. 
15, Rom. vi. 12, 13. 1 Cor. vii. 23, vi. 19, 20, 
Rom. xii. 1. 1 Peter, i. 18, 19. 

What a horrid thought would it be, that Chrijl 
fhould be the minifter of fin, and that his blood- 
Jhedding fhould caufe wickednefs to abound ? 
The love oi God, in giving his Son to die, is 
enough to move an heart of ftone : " For when 
we were yet without ftrength, in due time, Chrijt 
died for the ungodly ; for, fcarcely for a right- 
eous man will one die ; yet, peradvemure, for a 
good (kind, benevolent, generous) man, fame 
would even dare to die. But God commendeth 
his love towards us, in that, while we were yet 
M finners, 



3 34 



Dialogues on the 



finners, Chrift died for us. Much more, being 
now juftified through his blood, we fhall be faved 
from wrath through him. For if when we were 
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death 
of his Son ; much more, being reconciled, we (hall 

be faved by his life," Rom. v. 6 10. 

Here the death of the Lord jfefus is laid as the 
ground, and the falvation of men inferred from it, 
with the greatefl. poflible certainty ; yet, will any 
one fay, that becaufe Chrift hath died for him, 
therefore he will indulge himfelf in fin ? God for- 
bid. Some fay that if they believed this doctrine, 
they would live in fin, and indulge themfelves in 
their lulls and paffions : But then it may be ob- 
ferved, that thofe who fay fo are its enemies, and 
thofewho oppofe the view, and not thofe who 
receive it. 

There is fomething fo brutifh and unaccounta- 
ble in fuch difpofitions, as would lead men to 
hate their belt friends, merely becaufe they are fo ; 
that would lead them to hate God, becaufe he 
loved them ; and defpife Chrift, merely becaufe 
he died for them ; that, for the honor of human 
nature, I would hope, thefe in dances are rare. 
But to the point. I have converfed with many 
who believe that Chrift died for them in particu- 
lar ; and yet I never heard them fay, that they 
hated him for it ; but, on the contrary, that they 
loved him exceedingly. Now, is not the fame 
caufe likely to produce the fame effe£t ? If a thou- 
fand perfons, for inflance, all believing that Chrift 
died for them, find their hearts conftrained to love 
him for it, would it not have the fame effect upon 
ten thoufand, ten millions, or ten millions of mil- 
lions ? And if it would caufe licentioufnefs to 

abound 



Univerfal Refioraiion. 



abound in the world, to preach that Chrifl died for 
all, if it was univerfally believed ; by the fame 
rule it mud caufe it to prevail, in a leffer degree, 
to preach that he died for a fmal! part, at lealt, a- 
mong thofe who believe themfeives to be of the 
number ; and, therefore, it mull not be preached 
at all, that he died for any ? W ho can deny the 
confequence ? It feems to be evident, that Chrijl 
has done and fuffered too much for thofe that he 
died for, to lofe them finally ; and thus the uni- 
verfal Reftoration (lands connected neceffarily with 
the univerfality of the death of Chrifl^ and is de- 
duced therefrom, in the eafieft manner ; therefore, 
the doclrine of the former cannot tend to licen- 
tioufnefs, as it Hands upon the ground of the latter, 
which hath been demon&rated to have no fuch 
tendency. 

4. Another principle upon which the univerfal 
doclrine depends, is, the unchangeablenefs of God : 
Whom he loves once, he alfo loves ; he loved 
his creatures when he made them, as none can 
well deny; their fins he never loved, nor ever 
will ; he hath declared, that he loved us when 
finners, but never as finners. His eternal and 
eonftant hatred of all fin, and his unchangeable 
love of all his creatures, are of the nature of pri- 
mary truths ; from which the doctrine of the gen- 
eral Reftoration may be eafiiy and plainly infer- 
red. In this view we may underftand thofe ma- 
ny dreadful threatenings and gracious promifes, 
made to the fame people and perfons : Both (hall 
be fulfilled ; the firft, while they continue as 
rebels, which are defigned to humble and fubdue 
them ; the laft, when they (hall have accepted 
of the punilbment of their iniquity ; when their 

un cir- 



l%6 Dialogues on the 

nneircumcifed hearts are humbled, when their 
flubborn knees (hall bow to Jehovah, and their 
former rebellious tongues lhall fwear allegiance 

to him. 

Does this idea lead to licentioufnefs, that God 
hates fin, and determines to purfue it to entire d«- 
ftruftion, and never to put up his fword, fo long as 
there is a rebel in the univerfe ; yet, at the fame 
time, has no pofitive hatred to the fouls which he 
has made, but only withes them to return to or- 
der ? — This idea appears tome, equally to check 
prefumption and defpair ; and tends to put an 
end to licentioufnefs, rather than to encourage it : 
For, if rebels are affured that their rightful fove- 
reign hates them, and will never fuffer them to be 
reconciled to him, it naturally caufes them to 
fight with tenfold rage, as all warriors will teftify ; 
as, on the other hand, if they believe he is too 
weak, or undetermined, to conquer them, they 
will be prefumptuous, and continue the war. It 
cannot, therefore, be affirmed, by any perfons of 
reafon, that the declaration that God will deftroy 
fin, tends to promote it ; or, that his love of order, 
and hatred of evil, being compatible with his 
love to the creatures he has made, is a doctrine 
that encourages men to rebel ; the contrary is evi- 
dent ; and yet thefe are the very grounds of the 
univerfal Pveftoration ; which cannot, therefore, 
be licentious. 

5. Another of the firft principles of the Reftora- 
tion, is, the immutability of God's counfds ; which 
he hath confirmed by an oath, " That by two im- 
mutable things, {viz. his word and oath) in which 
it was impofhble for God to lie, we might have a 
ftrong confutation, who have fled for refuge, to 



Uniuerfai Reft oration. 13/ 



lay hold upon the hope fet before us," Heb. vi. 
17, 18. " God hath abounded towards us in all 
wifdom and prudence, having made known unto 
us the my fiery of his will, according to his good 
pleafure, which he hath purpofed in himfelf. 
That in the difpenfation of the fulnefs of times, 
he might gather together [or rehead) in one, all 
things in Clirift, both which are in heaven, and 
which are on earth ; even in him ; in whom we 
have obtained an inheritance, being predeflinated 
according to the purpofe of him who worketh all 
things according to the counfei of his own will," 
Ephef. i. 8, 9, 10, n. God is our Savior, [or 
Soteros, Reftorer) who will have all men to be 
faved, (fothenai, reftored) and to come unto the 
knowledge of the truth/ 5 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. This is 
the will and counfei of that God, who " doeih 
according t@ his will in the armies of heaven, and 
among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none 
can ftay his hand, or fay unto him, What do^ 
eft thou ?" Dan. iv. 35. He hath fworn by 
himfelf, the word is gone out of his mouth in right- 
eoufnefs, and (hall not return, that unto him 
" every knee fhall bow, every tongue fhall fwear," 
Ifai. xlv. 23. The counfei of God (hall ftand ; he 
will perform his pleafure, notwithstanding all the 
opp@fition that men can make : " God is not a man, 
that he (hould lie, neither the fon of man, that be 
mould repent ; Hath he faid, and fhaif he not do 
it ? or, hath he fpoken, and thaii he not make it 
good?" Numb, xxiii. 19. If Gob will have all 
men to be faved, or reftored, and to come to 
the knowledge of the truth, if it is his good pleaf- 
ure, which he hath purpofed in himfelf, in the 
difpenfation of the fulnefs of times, to rehead all 

things 

PT2 



Dialogues on trie 



things in Chrift, both in heaven and on earth ; if 
he hath fworn, that unto him every knee {hall 
bow, and every tongue fhall fwear ; and if he 
worketh all things after the counfel of his own 
will, and is determined to perform all his pleafure, 
which he is able to do ; and with him nothing 
that he pleafes is impoffible : I fay, if all thefe 
things are true, (as who, that believes the Scrip- 
tures, can deny ?) then, is not the doctrine of the 
Refloration true ? And who will venture to charge 
that with liceniioufnefs, which God, in the counfel 
of his will, hath purpofed, and is determined to 
perform ? We know, the will of God is a will to 
all goodnefs, and that he cannot do any thing un- 
juft, or contrary to his holy nature, or inconfift- 
ent with his plan of mcral government, or that 
ihall tend to promote rebellion ; therefore, if God 
had feen that this great work had been, in any ref« 
pect, injurious to his perfections, character, gov- 
ernment, &c. he would not have propofed it \ 
and if he had forefeen that the knowledge of it 
would have been hurtful to mankind, he would 
not have revealed it : But Cnce he hath done both, 
we may certainly argue, that it is not a licentious 
doctrine to declare, that God will finally make all 
his intelligent creatures happy ; by making them 
all his fubjects, by deftroying their fins, and mak- 
ing them holy, in a way perfectly confiflent, with 
ail his perfections and attributes ; without doing 
the leaft injury to his character, or rendering his 
moral government weak, or making any of his 
words void, w T hether threatenings or promifes* 
or in the leall fetting afide the fanctions of his law 
or gofpel, or a future flate of rewards and pun- 
ifh merits ; without derogating at all from the 

g lor y 



Univerfal Rejioratlon* 



*39 



glory of the Mediator, but rather exalting it to 
the higheft poflible pitch ; without faddening the 
hearts of the righteous, or diminifhing, in the 
leaft, from the happinefs of Heaven, but rather 
caufing it to increafe ; for if there is joy in Heaven 
over one finner that repenteth, there rauft be more 
over many, in exa£i proportion ; and as God will 
certainly give the greateft poflible joy to his chofen r 
and there is no doubt but it will receive addition 
from every one that is reftored,. or brought home 
to himfelf • therefore, it can only be brought to 
its higheft poflible pitch by the univerfal Reflora- 
tion ; ^which doctrine cannot, therefore, be licen- 
tious, as God has appointed and revealed it, and 
all holy beings (except fome weak good men on 
earth ) rejoice therein exceedingly*. 

6. Another of the principles on which the gene ~ 
ral Refer ation is founded is, that God hath given? 
all things into the hand of Chrift, who hath declar- 
ed, that it is the father's- will, that of all that he gave 
him, he Jliould lofe nothing ; and that power was giv- 
en him over all, that he fhould give the knowledge 
of God, even eternal life, to all that the Father had 
given him ; and that all, without exception, whom- 
the Father hath given, fhall come in fuch a man- 
ner as not to be caft out : But as all thefe Scrip- 
tures have been recited, and rcafoned upon before,, 
1 (hall only now obferve, that as God the Father 
hath given all things to Christ, and as he hath 
engaged to bring all back, without exception, and 
hath both will and power to perform this work, 
and came into the world on purpofe to accomplifh 
it, it rauft, of confeq.uence, be finally performed ; 
yet, it cannot tend to licentioufnefs, or the God of 
Heaven, and the Lord Jfus Chri/l % would never 

have 



140 



Dialogues on the 



have planned it, approved of it, or fought to exe- 
cute it. 

Many more firft principles, on which the doc- 
trine of the Rejloration is founded, might be men- 
tioned, and (hewn to be far from tending to licen- 
tioufnefs : But I fhall mention but one more ; and 
that \s— The Scriptures mujl be juljilled ; the Scrip- 
tures cannot be broken : None of the words of God 
# can fail of being accomplished ; and he hath not 
only denounced dreadful threat2nings, but made 
many gracious promifes to the fame people : Thefe 
cannot be fulfilled together ; and, if there is no 
truth in the Reftoration, I cannot fee how the lat- 
ter - will ever be fulfilled at all ; and if fins are not 
punifhed in the perfons who commit them, 1 am 
equally at a lofs what fenfe or truth there can be in 
the Jormer. It would be a great talk to colleft all 
the texts which juftify the remark, that threatening^ 
and promifes belong to the fame people in differ- 
ent periods, fome fpecimens of which have been 
given in the courfe of thefe dialogues. Now, it 
cannot lead to licentioufnefs, to fuppofe that the 
Scriptures ihall all be fulfilled ; but it muft lead 
to infidelity, and all kinds of evil, to fuppofe the 
contrary. 

Thefe are the firft principles upon which the 
doftrine of the Reftoration ftands, and by which it 
is fupported ; and as thefe have all been confider- 
ed, and proved to have no tendency to encourage 
fin, feparately, much lefs can they have any fuch 
tendency, jointly ; and then it evidently follows, 
that a doftrine which feems necefiarily deduced, 
or inferred by undeniable confequences, from all 
thefe confiderations united, cannot be falfe, or have 
any evil tendency* 

Bus 



Univerfal Rejloraiion. 141 



But I (hall next proceed to fhew, that all true, 
experimental, and praftical religion, feems fo con- 
fident with the univerfal Rejloration, that it may be 
reckoned a wonder, that all who have tailed that 
the Lord is gracious, and have diligently praflifcd 
his commands, have not, in all ages, been fully 
convinced of the truth of it. 

Friend. Is it poflible that you can do this ? If fo, 
I hope your reafoning will be attended to ; and 1 
mull confefs, that you have cleared your way fo 
well, by considering the firfl: principles of the doc 
trine, and {hewing that they are very far from 
tending to licentioufnefs, that I am half inclised to 
think you will be able to anfwer this objeftion^ 
formidable as it has been confidered hitherto. 

Minifter. As I truft you have been made ac- 
quainted with experimental religion, I need only 
to appeal to your own experience, for the truth of 
what I advance ; and I am apt to think, if you 
will anfwer me candidly, to a few quedions, you 
naufl acknowledge either that the Reftoration is 
true, or that your experience is falfe. 

Friend. I am willing to give you as plain and 
candid anfwers as I can ; for it will be of no ufe to 
deny what the Lord has done for my foul. 

Minifter. Let me then afk you, in the firft place, 
Did you not fee yourfelf k)ft and undone ; and 
that you were vile before God, unworthy of his 
mercy, and totally unable to deliver yourfelf from 
your fin and mifery ? 

Friend. I certainly did ; and I was fometimes 
ready to think there was hardly fuch a finner on 
earth as myfelf, all circumftances confidered; For 
I had finned againft fuch light and love, that I 

thought. 



i^t Dialogues on the 

thought all the world might be forgiven fooner 
than myfelf. 

Minijler. And were you not brought by the 
power of God, to refign yourfelf into his hands, 
without referve, to do with you, and difpofe of 
you, according to his will and pleafure ; being con- 
vinced, that he neither would r^or could do you any 
injuflice ? 

Friend. O yes ; and then I found peace ; my 
rebellion againft God ceafed ; I looked upon him 
quite different from what I did before ; I faw that 
he was wholly right and juft, and that 1 was entire- 
ly to blame : My murmurings againft him ceafed ; 
I viewed him as fuch a holy, good, merciful, 
and yet righteous God, that I could truft my 
foul in his hands, with the moft entire fatisfac- 
tion. 

Minijler. And when Chrijl was revealed to you 
as a Savior, how did he appear ? 

Friend. As one able and mighty to fave, even to 
the uttermoft ; and I thought there was not only a 
fufficiency in him for me, the vileft of all, but for 
the whole world, yea, for a thoufand worlds, had 
there been fo many. His blood feerned to me fo 
precious, his obedience and fufferings fo meritori- 
ous, his power fo great, his love fo rich, bound- 
lefs, and free, that I was overcome with the trail f- 
porting view : Aad as 1 faw him in a fulnefs for all, 
fo I found in him an infinite willingnefs to fave 
all ; for how could 1 think otherwife ? I knew my- 
felf to be moll: unworthy, and that he had gra- 
cioufly pitied me : 1 beheld his love, like a river, 
flowing down to me as free as water ; and I was 
amazed that I had not beheld it before, in the fame 
light. I faw, that the love of God to me, did not 

now 



Univerfal Refl oration* 



H3 



now begin, but was now manifejled to my foul. 1 
faw that there was no changer in God, but all in 
myfelf. Thofe words were precious to my heart 
at that time : " Yea, I have loved thee with an 
everlafting love ; therefore with loving kindnefs 
have I drawn thee/' Jer. xxxi. 3. As alfo thefe : 
Si Son be of good cheer; thy fins be forgiven thee," 
St. Matth. ix. 2. 

Minifter* You have brought my own experience 
to my mind ; — It pleafed God, by an incident too 
trifling to mention, to bring me to feek earnefily 
for an unfading treafure ; and, by a train of cir- 
cumftances, fixed the concern deeply upon my 
mind ; and I labored night and day, but could 
obtain no reft, tiil one morning— a time never to 
be forgotten ! — as I was walking on a journey, un- 
der great diftrefs, and when deliverance feemed 
farther from me than ever, all at once, I was 
brought to refign my foul into the hands of God, 
and thus I expreiTed myfelf : " Lord, here I am : 
A poor helplefs finner : I refign myfelf into thine 
hands ; take me, and deal with me, juft as thou 
pleafeft : I know thou canft do me no injuftice." 
Immediately thefe words came into my mind, with 
great power and fweetnefs : " In an acceptable time 
have I heard thee ; and in a day of falvation have 
I helped thee," Ifai. xlix. 8. and I had then fuch a 
view of Christ, as made me to cry out s< Glory 
to God in the higheft ! This is falvation ; I know 
this is falvation !" Then tuofe paffages which you 
have mentioned, came into ray mind with great 
energy ; and I faw the fulnefs, fufficiency, and wil- 
lingnefs of Christ to fave me, and all men, in fuch 
a manner as conftrained me to venture my foul into 
his arms ; and if I had ten thoufand fouls, I 

could 



i 4 4 



Dialogues on the 



could have truftcd them all in his hands. And, O 
how did 1 long, that every foul of Adam's race 
might come to know the love of God in Christ 
Jesus ! And I thought, I could not be willing to 
live any longer on earth, unlefs it might pleafe God 
to make me ufeful to my fellow creatures. 

<l What peaceful hours I then enjoyed ! 

How fweet their mem'ry ft ill ! 
But they have left an aching void 

The world can never fill." 

This is a little abilrafr. of what God did then 
gracioufly teach me by his Spirit ; but 1 had been 
brought up in the particular fyftem, and in the 
courfe of a few years came to be fo firmly attach- 
ed to it, as to refufe, in my preaching, to make gen- 
eral invitations to mankind at large ; rightly rea- 
soning with myfelf, that if provifion was only 
made for a fmali part, 1 had no warrant to call or 
invite the whole to come and partake ; and there- 
fore only prefled the duty on fuch and fuch charac- 
ters, as hungry, thirjiy, weary, heavy laden, fuch 
as were without ??ioney t fenfible finaers, &c. all of 
which I concluded to be of the eletl, becaufe I 
judged the Spirit had begun to operate favingly up- 
on their hearts ; and that to thefe, and thefe only, 
the Scriptures direfled invitations to be made ; 
never confidering that text — " Hearken unto me, ye 
flout hearted, that are far from righteoufnefs. I 
bring near my righteoufnefs ; and it fhall not be 
far off, and my falvation fhall not tarry/' lfa. xlvi. 
12, 13, During the time that 1 remained in this 
clofe hearted fyftem, laboring with all my might 
to maintain it a 1 chanced to come to a houfe, 

where, 



Univerfal Rejtoralion* 

where-, as far as I can judge, Was a very fenfible 
and pious young woman, whom I never faw be- 
fore or fince : She gave a very judicious account 
of the work of- grace upon her heart ; but when 
the came to that part, where (he faid (he beheld an 
infinite fulnefs in Christ for all the world, I in- 
terrupted her, and told her, that could not be ; 
for there was no provifion made for all, and there- 
fore it was impomble that file could have any fuch 
difcoveries made to her by the Spirit of God. This 
I infilled upon, according to my fyftem, contrary 
to my experimental knowledge ; (O the mifchie-fs 
of bigotry, prejudice, and vain attachment to fyf- 
tem !j fhe, on the contrary, maintained, that (he 
clearly viewed matters in that light ; and that fhe 
certainly was taught to believe, that in Chrilt 
there was a fulnefs and freenefs for all : This I 
denied ; and fhe was thereby prevented from finifh- 
ing what me had begun. I can never forgive my- 
ielf, far the oppofuion I made to what 1 knew to 
be truth by experience ; and as I did not inquire 
the name of the perfon, I have had no opportunity 
of making a recantation by letter, as 1 ought to 
have done ; and having never been in the place 
fince, and it being highly improbable that ever I 
{hall again, I feel myfelf extremeiy hurt, whenever 
I think of it. 

Friend. I can but admire the agreement between 
us in matters ot experience ; for I found the fame 
difpofitions of mind that you mentioned, when it 
pleafed God to reveal his Son in me. 

Minifter. 1 never found an experienced Chrift- 
ian in my life, but would give much the fame ac- 
count, provided that his fyftem was not in fight ; 
and I have found fome, that though they were vi- 
olently 

N 



i 46 Dialogues on the 

o!em!y attached to the contrary fyftern, and knew 
my intention in aiking the quell ions ; yet anfwered 
the following affirmitavely. 

Did you not fee and reel yourfelves the vilelt of 

Did you not view the love of God infinitely full, 

free and unmerited ? 

Did you no: heboid in Chrijl an infinite fulnefs^ 
fufficiency and willingnefs, to fave all, without ex- 
ception ? 

Did you not love all, and with that all might come 
and partake of his grace ? 

Did you not earneftly defire the falvation of all, 
not only of your family, friends, neighbors and na- 
tion ; but a Ho of your enemies, and of all mankind? 
Could you not embrace the whole human race in 
the crins of benevolence ? 

Did you not find it in your heart to pray for the 
falvation of all mankind, as for your own ? 

If you had as much power as good will, wouid 
you not bring all to bow to the fceptre of grace, 
and to be reconciled to God through Jifus 
Chrin ? 

Friend. I do not fee how an experienced perfon 
can refufe to fay Yes, to all thefe queftions ; they 
are fo agreeable to the very tempers of the new- 
born foul ; and, I am lure, I found them in my 
heart, at the very time when I firu tailed of the love 
of God. 

Minificr* Well then, my friend, let nee afk you, 
From whence did thefe tempers and difpofitions 

proceed ? 

Friend. To be candid, I think they were given 
me from above, and came down from the Father 
of Ikh's, from whence, every good and perfeft 

gift 



Univeijal ReftoratiGn. i^y 

gift cometh ; and I , am the more apt to think fa, 
becaufe I found contrary difpofitions in my heart 
before ; and the more I am ferifible erf the forgiv- 
ing-love of God, the more I find thefe affections 
which you have defcribed, ana thefe defires for the 
good of others. 

Minifief. Then let me afk you, Can a frnal! crop 
be larger than the unfathomed abvls. and ocean of 
Love ? Have you more cornpaffion towards your 
fellow creatures than the God that made them ? 
Can any effeQ be greater than its caufe I Wqu 
you bring all to fubrnif to God, and be happy, if 
you could ? And will no: he, to whom nothing 
that he pleafes to do is impoffible, bring all his 
creatures to be reconciled to himfeH a: tali ? He 
has infinitely more love to his creatures, than all 
the faints and angels in glory have ; he is poffeiTed., 
of infinite power and wifdom, as well as love all 
means to accompli ill the work are known to him ; 
he can do it in a way that (hall caufe his praife to 
abound exceeding- v, in a way perfectly confident 
with all his perfections, and the whale of his glori- 
ous character ; it is his will and purpofe fo to do. as 
has been proved at large ; What, then, can hinder 
him from fulfilling it ? 

Friend. I am not able to gain fay this rea Coning - r 
it fecms almoft undeniable : But can you fhew that 
the doctrine of the Reiteration Hands cotipecled 
with practical religion, or the keeping of the com- 
mandments of God ? 

Minijler. I can very eafiiy do that, in every in. 
fiance ; but mall only attend to the following, as a 
fpecimen. 

i. Our Lord has commanded us to Icte all man- 
kind ; not our brethren and friends oniv. but even 



Dialogues on tfis 



our greateft enemies ; and all for this purpofe, that 
we may be the children of our Father, who is in 
Heaven, whofe love is univerfal, and whofe tender 
mercies are over all his works : See St. Matth. v.., 
44 — 48, St. Luke, vi. 27 — 36. But if God doth 
not love all himfelf, Chrift hath commanded us te> 
be more per/eft, in that refpeft, than, our Father, 
who is in Heaven ; which, to fuppofe, is highly 
abfurd. What fhall we fay to that dofirine that 
teaches us, that God hates, with a perfefl hatred, 
many of thofe whom he hath commanded us to love 
«as ourfelves ? 

Therefore, there is nothing in the doflrine of 
the Reftoratio.n, contrary to the love of our neigh- 
bor ; which on the contrary is promoted there- 

[ j y ' 

> , We are commanded to do good to alt men 7 as 
we have opportunity. This is recommended to us 
by, the example of our heavenly Father, who mak- 
eth his fun to rife on the evil and on the good,, 
and fendeth rain on the juft, and on the unjafl ; 
s*nd no per Con can fay, that the b.elief of this doc- 
trine tends, in the lea ft, to hinder us- from doing 
good to all our fellow creatures ; but rather en- 
courages us fo to do, from the confideration that 
"God loves them all, and does good to all, and is 
determined to make them all the fubjefts of his 
kingdom at la ft. 

3. We are commanded to forgive all men their 
irefpdjfes^ and to pray ; faying, ' w Forgive us our 
(debts, or) trefpaffes, as we forgive (our debtors, 
or) them that trefpafs againft us ; M St. Matth. vi, 
i2. St. Luke, xL 4. And our Lord fays, " For, if 
ve forgive men their trefpaffes, your heavenly Fath- 
er will alfo forgive you : But if ye forgive not 

tarn. 



tJniverfal Reft l or ation. 149, 



men their trefpaffes, neither will your Father for- 
give your trefpaffes St. Matth. vi. 14, 15. See* 
aifo, chap, xviii. 21 — 35. St. Mark, xi. 25, 26. St. 
Luke, vi. 37. 

Now, is it poffible to fuppofe, with any degree 
of reafon, that our Lord would command us, upon 
pain of his higheft difpleafure, to forgive thole' 
whom he hated, and determined to punifh while 
he mould exift, without having the teaft defire or 
defign to do them good ?' Has he promifed us the 
greatell blefiings, if we will forgive all men ; and 
- will he never forgive them ? He that can believe 
this, let him believe it.- However, fince forgiving 
all men is a plain command, which none can deny ; 
I truft, no cne will venture to fay, that believing: 
the final Reflofation of all men, at laft, will have 
any tendency to made us break this precept ot our 
Savior s, upon "which he lays fo much flrefs ; but,, 
I think* the contrary is evident. 

4. We are commanded to pray jor all men St.. 
Paul fays, " 1 exhort, therefore, that, firft of ail 
fupplications, prayers, inferceffions, and giving of 
thanks, be made lor all men : For this is good ; 
and acceptable in the fight of God, our Savior 
(or Reftorer) who will have all men to be faved, 
(or reftored) and to come unto the knowledge of 
the truth. For there is one God, and one Medi- 
ator between God and men, the man Chrijl Jefas ; 
who gave himfelf a ranfom for all, to be teliified 
in due time." This is the great ; do£lrine of the 
Gofpel, the very foundation of ChHftia'fcity : — 
" Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and ari ; 
apoftle ; (I fpeak the truth in Chi i ft; and lie not) 
a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 5 ' The* 
apoftle not only believed, but taught ; hot only: 

taught;. 



Dialogues on the 



taught, but commanded others to teach and preach 
this great doftrine, of God's being the Savior, 
or Reftorer, of all men : In this he gloried, fay- 
ing, " This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all 
acceptation. For therefore we both labor and fuf« 
fer reproach, becaufe we truft in the living God e 
who is the Savior [or Reftorer) of all men, fpecial- 
ly of thofe that believe. Thefe things command and 
teach." 

Upon this grand foundation,. St. Paul recorn-* 
spends prayer to all men ; faying, " I will there- 
lore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy 
hands, without wrath and doubting, 1 ' x Tim. ii. 
i. — 8, iv. 9, iq, I i. 

Obferve, the apoftle recommends prayer for all 
ii?en ; and wills, that men (hould pray every where, 
at all times, and in all places, lifting up holy hands,, 
without wrath and doubtingk How nearly forgiv- 
ing all men, and praying for all men, ftand con- 
netted ! and both are plainly and peremptorily re- 
commended by our Lord ; who fays, M Love your 
enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to 
them that hate you r and pray for them which def- 
pkefuliy ufe you^and perfecute you." 

We are commanded to pray for all men, becaufe 
it is the will of God that all men fliould be faved 
{or reftored) .and becaufe Ghrift hath given him- 
felf a ranfon for all : And we are bid to pray with- 
out doubting : O, what a word is this ! May we, 
©Bght we, to pray for the falvation of all men, 
'without doubting ? Surely, God would, never have 
commanded us to do this, unlefs it was his pur- 
pofe to re (lore all men, in his own time ; and no 
man can fay, that the belief of the Reiteration 
will.picvcm eur prayirlg for all men, 

I was. 



Uni&erfal Reparation. 



I was once on a journey, and called in at the 
houfe of one of my former good friends : Several 
religious perfons were there ; and, after fome time y 
ray fentiments came to be fpoken of, and they 
feemed to wonder how I could embrace the opin- 
ion, that all men, finally, would be faved I I told 
them, however many might preach againft it, that 
no perfon, under the influence of the Divine Spir- 
it, could pray againft it ; but, on the contrary, 
we could pray Jor it in faith, nothing wavering, 
as God had commanded, and as his Spirit natural*, 
lyinfpired ; that no perfon could pray God not to* 
fave or reftore all mankind, without being (hocked 
at the blafphemy and impiety of fucha prayer; but 
that our Lord had faid, that all things v^hatfoever 
we afked in prayer,, believing that we mould re- 
ceive, fhould be granted, let them be things ie e til- 
ing ly ever fo impoflible ; that if we afked any thing I 
according to his will,, it mould be done; and that! 
it was his pofitive and declared will, that all mea 
fhould be faved, (or refiored) and come to the 
knowledge of the truth ; that we were ordered to 
pray for it in faith, without doubting ; and, there,* 
fore, it was as evident as the nature of things re- 
quired, that it would be done ; fince God had nev- 
er ordered us to pray for any thing that he was not 
able and willing to do, This, and much more, I 
faid,"and they feemed exceedingly well fatisfied ; 
efpecially, when I informed them, that it v*as 
through the blood of Chrift, the blood of the cov- 
enant, that the prifoners fhould be fent forth out of 
the pit wherein is no water, and that all fhould be 
refiored through his mediation. 

Friend. Then you hold that even the damned 
fhail be finally rsftored and delivered by the pow- 



Dialogues on the 



erof Jefus, and through his blood died ding. 1 
have heard it obje£ied againft your fcheme, that it 
tended to fet at nought the whole mediatorial plan, 
and to depreciate the blood of Jefus, which hefhed 
to purge our fins away ; though I never obferved 
any thing like this in yoar difcourfes, either in pub- 
lic or in private. 

Minijier. No ; God forbid that I fliould ever fet 
afide the blood that cleanfeth from all fin ; nor 
can I be charged with it, unlefs having a much 
higher idea of its merit than my oppofers, may be^ 
looked upon as tending to depreciate it. They hold 
that it (hall cleanfe a fmall number from their fins 
I believe that it fhall cleanfe, heal, and reftore the 
whole human race. They believe that its virtue 
endures for a little feafon ; I maintain that it fhall 
continue to all ages, until all evil fhall be decoy- 
ed out of the univerfe. 

Friend. I am fatisfied that you do not mean to 
fet at nought the powerful blood of the dear Re- 
deemer, but on the contrary, you fuppofe that your 
views tend more to exalt it. Pray proceed in your 
difcourfe. 

Mini/ter. I need net fay much more upon this 
matter : Our Savior has faid, *• If any man will 
do his (the Father's) will, he fhall know of the 
do&rine, whether it be of God, or whether I 
fpeak of myfelf," St. John vii. 17. This Is the 
fureft rule ; praftife religion ; love, revere, and 
ferve God ; love all men even your enemies ; do 
good to all, forgive all, and pray for all ; and then 
afk, Is the doflrine of the final Reftoration contra- 
ry to this manner of lite ? If it be, rejeft it ; 
for thefe commands are plain ; and if thefe princi- 
ples are inconfiftent with tht obfervatidn of thefe 

precegts. 



Univerfal Rejloration. 1,5-3 ^ 

precepts, then avoid them, as you would death 
and hell. But, I truft, it has been (hewn that 
they have no fuch tendency ; but the contrary. 
For inftance, Does this do&rine tend to make us 
hate God,, and his character ? Does it naturally 
fill our minds with Jtlfjlinefs , and prevent benevo- 
lence from ruling within us ? Does it fill us with, 
pride, and caufe us to look down with contempt 
upon thofe that are beneath us in life, and banifh 
humility from our hearts ? Does the belief. of this,, 
caufe our breafts to fwell with pale envy, and ran- 
corous malice, at the happinefs of others ? Does 
it caufe us to burn with belli fh rage, fury, and 
rnadnefs, again ft mankind ? Does it tend to deftroy 
mee&nefs, and increafe wrath ? If thefe quefiions 
require (either from the nature of things, or from, 
known facts) the anfwers to be ia the affirmative ; 
then I would abhor fuch a fyftem, and wifli it to 
be univerfaiiy detefied : But if, on the contrary, 
the candid inquirer muft anfwer in the negative, 
and fay, That the dofirine of the final Reftoratiorv 
does not tend to produce Jki^fknejs, envy, pride, or 
wrath j but, on the contrary, " Glory to God in 
the higheft, and on earth peace, good will towards 
men f that it cau fes benevolence, meeknefs, humility, 
forbearance, forgivenefs, charity \ y and all goodnefs, to 
abound and increafe ; then it cannot be a licentious 
doctrine* and is not to be difcarded on that ac* 
count ; for it is a maxim with St, John, that " He 
that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and 
there is none occafion of {tumbling in him," 1 John, 
ii. io. That is, he cannot receive, hold, maintain, 
or do, any thing eiTentially or materially wrong ; 
and, therefore, can give no juft occafion of of- 
fence 1 " for, all the law is fulfilled in one word,, 

€VCA 



Dialogues on the 



even in this : Thou fhalt love thy neighbor as 
thyfelf. For he that loveth another, hath fulfilled 
the law. For this, Thou (halt not commit adul- 
tery, Thou fhalt not kill, Thou (halt not fteal, 
Thou (halt not bear falfe witnefs, Thou fhalt not 
covet ; and if there be any other commandment, 
it is briefly comprehended in this faying ; Thou 
fhalt love thy neighbor as thyfelf. Love work- 
eth no ill to his neighbor ; therefore, love is 
the fulfilling of the law," Gal, v. 14, Rom. xiii. 
8, 9 10. 

But it is not only from reafoning, but from fafrs, 
that I am able to prove that the belief of the doc- 
trine of the univerfal Reftoration, does not lead 
men to fin. The Tunkers. or German Baptifls, 
in Pennfylvania, and the Hates adjacent, who take 
the Scriptures as their only guide, in matters both 
of faith and praftice, have always fas far as I know) 
received, and univerfally, at prefent, hold thefe 
feritiments : But fuch Chriitians, I have never feen 
as they are ; fo averfe are they to all fin, and to 
many things that other Chriflians efteem lawful, 
that they not only refufe to fwear, go to war, &c* 
but are fo afraid of doing any thing contrary to 
the commands of Chrifl, that no temptation would 
prevail upon them even to foe any perfon at law, 
for either name, characler, eftate, or any dabt, be- 
lt ever fo juft : They are induftrious, fober, tern* 
perate, kind, charitable people; envying not the 
great, nor defpifing the mean They read much, 
they fmg and pray much, they are conflant attend- 
ants upon the woifhip of God ; their dwelling- 
houfes are all houfes of prayer : They walk in the 
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blame- 
lefs, both in public and private 1 They bring up 

thek 



Univerfal Reftoration. 155 



their children in the nurture and admonition of the 
Lord ; No noife of rudenefs, fhamelefs mirth, loud, 
vain laughter, is heard within their doors : The 
law of kindnefs is in their mouths ; no fournefs, 
or morofenefs, difgraces their religion ; and what- 
foever they believe their Savior commands, they 
praftife, without inquiring or regarding what oth- 
ers do. 

I remember the Rev. Morgan Edwards, former- 
ly minifter of the Baptift Church in Philadelphia, 
once faid to me, " God always will have a vifible 
people on earth ; and thefe are his people at pref- 
ent, above any other in the world. 5 ' And in his 
Hifiory of the Baptifts in Pennfylvania, fpeakingof 
thefe people, he fays : " General redemption they 
certainly held, and, withal, general falvation ; 
which tenets (though wrong) are confident. In 
a word, they are meek and pious ChriiHans ; and 
have jufily acquired the character of The karmlejs 
Tunkers." 

Thus have I proved that this docTrine is not li- 
centious ; both from the firfl principles on which 
it is founded, from the nature of experimental and 
practical religion, and from facls. As to that 
part of the ob-e^ion, which fuppofes this doc- 
trine to be the feme that the ferpent preached to 
Eve, faying, " Ye ihaii not furely die ; it feems al- 
mod unworthy of nonce : But as i* has been glo- 
ried in by fome writers, as unanfwerable, merely 
becauie it was paffed over unnoticed, as being 
nothing to thepurpofe; Ifliall make a few remarks 
unon it. 

1. I fay, that Satan was a liar, and God was 
true : For man and woman did die, in a moral 
fenfe, on the very day that they iinned i they be^ 

came 



Dialogues en the 



came dead in trefpafies and fins ; they loft the &u 
'vine life, and became earthly, fenfible, devilifli ; 
darknefs in their underftandrngs, ftubbornnefs in 
their wills, and diforder in their affe&ions, ren- 
dered them unfit, unable and unworthy to have fel- 
lowfhip with their God. But do they contradifit 
Jehovah, and join with the ferpent who affert, 
that Jesus, the fecond Adam, hath quickened, and 
is able to quicken, thofe who were deadin trefpafies 
and fins ? If fo, St, Paul joined with the ferpent, in 
•Ephef. ii. i. 

2. The fentence of death was pronounced upon 
snan, even the death of the body, in thofe words ; 

In the fweat of thy face (halt thou eat bread, till 
thou return unto the ground ; for out of it waft 
thou taken ; for duft thou art, and unto duft thou 
lhalt return, " Gen. iii. 19. But, would it be juft 
and right for any one to fay, that thofe who be- 
lieved the refurre&ion of the body, contradi&ed 
God, and, joining with the ferpent, declared, that 
men fhould not die ; merely, becaufe they afferted, 
according to the promifes, that they fliould rife 
again ? Would not thofe who preach Jefus, and 
the refurre£Hon, have a right to look upon it as a 
vile and wilful fiander, if any one fhould fo mil- 
reprefent the matter ? What ! mud I be accufed 
of faying, that no man ever died, becaufe I believe 
and teach that fome have rifen, and that all (hall 
be raifed, at laft ; when even the very idea of a 
refurre&ion, prefuppofe* a ftateof death ? 

3. I confefs, that God has threatened finners 
with the fecond death ; but do I fay, that they 
{hall never tafte of the fecond death, becaufe I 
declare, that the time will come when it (hall ex- 
ift no more ? This is curious reafoning, indeed. 

As 



Univcrfal Rejloraticn, igj 



As well may I fay, that no man ever lived on 
earth, becaufe fomany have died ; that no one 
Seeps in the night, who wakes in the morning ; or, 
that no-fifh was ever in the water, that was caughrt 
and taken cut. 

Did St. Paul join with the ferpent, when he 
faid, M For as in Adam all die, even fo in Christ 
fhall all be made alive ?'*' i Cor. xv. 22, Will 
any fuppofe that we affirm, that the dreadful 
threatenings denounced by God, never were, nor 
ever will be executed, becaufe we declare, that his 
promifes (hall alfo be fulfilled ? Can any reasona- 
ble man fuppofe, becaufe Chrift is the Savior of 
men, that, therefore, they were not in a loll con- 
dition ? How abfurd ! when he declares, that he 
came to feek and fave the loft ! 

Thus, though mankind died a moral death, m 
the day wherein they finned ; yet, Christ is able 
to quicken and raife them up from the fame ; and 
though their bodies die, in confequence of the fall ; 
yet {hall he caufe all that are in the graves, to hear 
his voice, and come forth ; and, by the fame rule 
ef arguing, though many fhall fall under the power 
of the fecond death, which is threatened to fin- 
ners ; yet as he has promifed to deftroy all that 
bears the name of death, their Reftoration mav be 
fairly concluded, without either contradicting God, 
or joining with the ferpent. Had the Scriptures, 
indeed, contained nothing but threatenings of death, 
without any promifes of falvaiion, rejurreclion, or 
rejloration ; it would have been prefumptuous for 
£s to have entertained any hopes for the human 
race, or their deliverance, either from Jin, death, 
or hell ; but, iince promifes are found, as well as 
ikreateningS) we muft not, under pretence or col- 
O w 



i^S Dialogues on the 

or of believing the latter, rejeft the former, left 
we are found contradictors and oppofers of God ; 
for it is as poffible that we may make him a liar, in 
refilling to believe the record he has given of his 
Son, 2nd his intentions of grace and mercy to- 
wards mankind, as in difregarding his threatenings, 
denounced againft them becaufe of their fins. 

As for this doctrine making the hearts of the 
righteous fad whom God would not have ynade fad, 
nothing can be more contrary to fa£l ; for if it be 
the will of 'God to reward and punifh, and finally 
to reftore mankind, none of the righteous will be 
forry, but, on the contrary, will greatly rejoice. 
It is not God's truth, but mens* lies, of which 
the prophet fpeaks ; which made the hearts of the 
righteous fad, and firengthened the hand of the 
wicked, that he fhould not return from his wicked 
way, by promifing him life : But we are fo far 
from ftrengthening the kands of the wicked, and 
faying, that no evil fhali come upon them ; that 
we declare from the Scripture, that M the wrath of 
God is revealed from Heaven, againft all ungodli- 
nefs and unrighteoufnefs of men, who hold the 
truth in unrighteoufnefs ; unto them that are con- 
tentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey un- 
righteoufnefs, indignation and wrath, tribulation 
and anguifli, upon every foul of man that doeth 
evil ; of the Jew fir ft, and aifo of the Gentile/' 
P.om. i. 18. ii. 8, 9. And that " there is no peace 
to the wicked/' lfai. xlviii. 22. Ivii. 20, 21. There- 
fore, they are called to repent, and turn to God ; 
for in fin they never can be happy ; no unholy, or 
unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of Heav- 
en. And fo far are we from promifing them life 
in their wicked ways, that we teftify, from the 

Scripture^ 



Vniverfal Rtfieration* 159 

Scripture, that 44 He that believeth not the Son, 
fhall not fee life,' while he continues in that ftate ; 
" but the wrath of God abideth on him, 5 ' St. John, 
iii. 36, 

Friend. I had intended to propofe that text as 
an objection to your fyftem ; it is, indeed, one 
that Dr. Whitby * infills much upon : But 1 fee 
how you will anfwer it — that the unbeliever, as 
fuch, and while he fo continues, cannot fee life ; 
but the wrath of Gcd abideth on him, while he 
remaineth in unbelief ; but that God can take 
away the caufe, in his own time, and then the 
eff/ft (hall ceafe. 

Mini/ier. Certainly, this muff be the meaning.; 
for St, John only meant 10 defcribe the difference 
between believers and unbelievers, as feck ; but 
could not mean to intimate, that thofe who were 
unbelievers, in his time, fhould always continue fo> 

But I now j>afs to confider the latter part of 
this objection, upon which I have dwelt fo long ; 
viz. that it is the natu/e oi God to lay the highelt 
poffible reftraint upon fin, and, therefore he has 
threatened it with everlajhng damnation, which 
mutt intend endlefs mifery ; and as this reftraint is 
found too weak, wholly to prevent evil, what an 
amazing increafe would there be, if this reftraint 
fhould be taken off, in any degree ; as it muii 
be, if it fhould come to be known that punim- 
ments were only for certain ages or periods, and de- 
fined for the amendment of the fufferers ? 

I once afked a Reverend Divine, what was his 
ilrongeft argument in favor of endlefs punifliment ? 
and he told me, this which is mentioned above- 
and, therefore, as it is of considerable importance, 
I fhall give it a brief confideration, 

a. It 

*3ee Whitby's DifcouTfes, 



Dialogues on the 



i. It is not quite clear to me, that it is tlie ns. 
rare of God to lay the higheft poffible reftraint up- 
on tin ; and that he always doth fo, in all his dif- 
penfations. He fometimes has higher defigns in 
view, than barely to retrain fin ; be fometimes, 
perhaps, fuffers it to prevail for a time, that his 
power might be more manifeft in deftroying it ; 
hence we read, " Moreover the law entered 1 ' — 
not merely to reflrain fin, but—" that the offence 
might abound ; but where fin abounded, grace 
did much more abound ; that as fin hath reigned 
unto death, even fo might grace reign, through 
righteoufnefs, unto eternal life, by Jfefus Ckrift 
our Lord. Wherefore, then, ferveth the law ? 
it was added becaufe of tranfgreffions, till the 
feed fhould come, to whom the promife was 
made," Rom. v\ 20, 21. Gal. iii. 19. St. Paul 
fays ; " Sin, taking occafion by the command- 
ment, wrought in me all manner of concupis- 
cence ; for, without the law, fin was dead. Was., 
% ien, that which was good, made deaih unto me ? 
God forbid : But fin, that it might appear fin, 
working death in me, by th3t which is good ; 
that fin, by the commandment, might become 
exceeding finful," Rom. vii. 8, 13. Perhaps, if 
the p&nifhment of fins immediately followed the 
commiflion of them, it would be a fironger and 
more effeftual reftraint than any threatenings of 
future mifery ; yet God does not think it neceffary 
to reflrain fin by that mean, though it is exprefs- 
]y afferted, that, *' Becaufe fentence again ft an evil 
work is not executed fpeediiy, therefore is the 
heart of the fons of men fully fet in them to do, 
evil " Ecclef. viii. it. There is no doubt but if 
the awful punifh.ments of the future ftate were 

made 



Univerfal Rejloration. i6t. 

made vifible to our fenfes. by any means, they 
would prove a powerful reftraint to fin ; yet God 
has not thought fit to reflrain it by thofe, and 
perhaps many other poffibie ways :. Wherefore, i 
have a right to doubt the premifes ; for, if the 
ftrongeft poffibie reftraints were laid upon fin, it 
mibht not be fo confluent with a (rate of proba- 
tion, as thofe reasonable reftraints which God hath 
thought fit to lay upon iu 

2. But it may be queftioned, whether there is not 
fomething in the idea of limited, yet certain pun-- 
ifhment, fo juft, equitable, reafonable, and evi- 
dent; that it is much more calculated to produce 
belief, and confequentiy more effectual to deftroy 
falfe hopes of efcaping it, and alfo to check that 
daring prefumption, which rifes oat of the idea, 
kf endlefs mifery ; than can be found in the contrary 
doftrine. Endlefs- piimjliment feems to ftock ten- 
der minds, at leaft. I heard of a little boy, to-- 
whom his mother conftantly kept preaching dam- 
nation without end, for every fin ; one day, after 
fhe had been difcourfing with him in that manner* 
he went to work, but foon returned back, Sud- 
denly opened the door, and with an air of fnr-- 
prife, cried out ; " Why, mother, the law fays* 
" An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a 
hand, a foot for afoot ; but you fay, ten thoufand 
for one, and that punifhmcnt fhall never end.'"' 
I have heard of numbers that had no better excufe 
for finning greedily, than this,, viz. that : there was 
no hopes of their being faved ; that, therefore,, 
they were determined to fin as much as poffibie^ 
fi-nce it could make no difference, i have reafon 
to fay, from what I know of mankind, that more: 
perfons refufe to believe in Divine Revelation* 
$fT & becaufe; 



Dialogues on the 



becaufe it is commonly thought to contain ths 
doclriae of end/efs mifery, |h^n from any other 
eaufe : And numbers have embraced it immedi- 
ately, upon being fairly convinced that it was not 
neceffary to underfland it in that light. And a 
very fen fib le Dei ft once faid to an acquaintance of 
mine, who believed and preached the univerfa! 
dodrine — " Had 1 been acquainted with your 
fyftem, thirty years ago, I mould have been a 
zealous Chriftian; and as great a friend to Reve- 
lation, as I have been an enemy. " " And, pray t 
why not now Do£tor ?" — st ' Recau fe I am afliamecL 
having fo long been fighting againft, to receive it 

3. Though damnation has been commonly un- 
der flood to be endlcfs, for many ages ; yet it has 
not (as far as we can judge) prevented evil at all, or 
very little ; but I have mentioned before, how 
very flrict thofe people live, who receive and hold 
the (yfiem of limited punifhments ; whether it is-, 
that end/efs damnation is too unnatural to be be- 
lieved, and that limited punijkments, being mors 
reafonabje, feem rnpre certain ; or whether it be, 
that by confidering they fhall be punifhed, either 
without end, or not at all ; and every one think- 
ing that endlefs punifhmeht is more than they de- 
fer ve, but is only referved for fome greater finners, 
and thtrefore they have nothing to fear from it, I 
{hall not pretend to determine ; but certain it is, 
that where the idea df eadlefs mifery prevails, it 
has not prevented iniquity, in the meafure that 
might have been expefted, on the fuppofition of its 
being the truth of God. 

4. The great number of Heathens, that die with- 
out ever being favored with the light of the gof- 



Univerfal Reftoration. 



pel, and certainly without ever hearing of endlefe 
mifery ; the many that die in a ftate of infancy 
and childhood; together with the inftances of ide- 
ots, and perfons born deaf ; all convince me, more, 
than any logical arguments that God has many 
ways of inftructing and reclaiming his creatures^ 
in another ftate, that we are at prefent unacquainted 
with. 

5. It is not fo much the intention of God, mere- 
ly to reftrain fins as to fhew it in all its dreadful 
deformity, punifli it according to its d everts, and* 
finally, to (hew the fuperabounding of his grace,, 
in overcoming and totally deftroying it out of his- 
creation ; which mail be accomplifhed when HE. 
that fitteth upon the throne mall make all things 
new ; " And there fhall be no more' death, neither 
forrow nor crying ; neither fhall there be any more 
pain ; for the former things are paffed away," Rev,, 
xxi. 4. 

6. As the doQrine of the final R-eftoration, has 
been (hewn in itfelf not to have the leaft tendency 
to licentioufnefs, but dire&ly the reverfe ; and, as 
far as 1 can learn, by hiftory, or my own obferva- 
tion, thofe who have believed it, in the manner 
here laid down, as perteftly confiftent with a fu- 
ture ftate of rewards and punifhments, have beea 
particularly careful to depart from iniquity of ev- 
ery kind ; yet if any mould be fo loft to all that is 
good, as to pervert this truth (revealed for contra- 
ry purpofes] to their own deftru£iion, they alone 
mud bear the blame, the lofs, and the punifh- 
ment. The Scriptures of truth have been per- 
verted ; yet, that is no argument againft Divine 
Revelation : The Gofpei of the Grace of God, 
feas been abufed ; but mould it never be preached. 

on 



Dialogues on the 



on that account ? Some, in the apoflles days, 
turned the Grace of God itfell into wantonnefs or 
lafcivioufnefs, (Spe Jude 4) ; and others pretended 
that thofe holy men encouraged fin, by proclaim- 
ing falvation to finners, through grace, or faith 
in Chrift ; of which bt. Paul complains, (Rom. iiL 
8.) " We be flanderoufly reported, and fome af- 
firm, that we fay, Let us do evil, that good may 
come; whofe damnation is juft" — The holy apof- 
tie abhorred, and conftantly denied this herrid 
cc^ifequence, which fome perverfe minds pre- 
tended to draw from his doftrine ; he declared 
that the damnation of fuch was juft, who did fin 
that grace might abound, or who affirmed that the 
doflrine led thereto, or that the apoftles taught or 
praQifed any fuch things ; neverthelefs, (not as 
fools, but as wife) they did not think fit to lay the 
gofpel afide, and refufe to preach falvation through 
Christ any more on that account ; The felffame 
reafoning applies to the prefent cafe.. 

Friend. 1 mufl confefs that you have fo far pre- 
vailed as to filence this great objection ; for cer- 
tainly the belief of the Refloration feems by your 
account of it confiftent with a ftate of grace, and the 
knowledge and praftice of religion. But though 
you have obviated feveral obje&ions, there is one 
you have not yet touched, which is very confid- 
erable, and I am doubtful that it will be difficult 
if not impoffible for you to anfwer fairly,.it may be 
thus expreffed, God has abounded towards us in all 
zvifdom ; one inftance is his hanging out the threat- 
enings of the fevereft punifhments to prevent his- 
creatures from finning while in this world ; but 
to tell them at the fame time, that if they fhould 
fin he means to fave them, is not prudent ,• becaufe 

that 



Univerfal Rejloration. 



that leffens, if not deftroys the force of his threat- 
ening. He told Adam that if he did eat, he fliould 
furely die ; but did not tell him (at the fame time) 
that if he fliould eat, his cafe would not be remedi- 
lefs ; this were to take down with one hand what 
he had fet up with the other. After the threaten- 
ing failed of the effe£i, he told him fo, and not be- 
fore, this was prudently done ; fo after his threat- 
enings fail of effect in this date, is the time to re- 
veal his defign of faving daring finners. We may 
therefore be fure that he has not done it yet, and 
that we mifconftrue thofe texts which feera to con- 
tain fuch a revelation. The next ftate is the only 
Hate to preach the doctrine, and reveal the doc- 
trine. If you preach it here, it will be unneceffa- 
ry to preach it in hell ; for obftinate finners will 
carrv it in their heads thither. 

Minifttr* As fpecious and plaufible as this ob- 
jection feems, I doubt not of being able to anfwer 
it fairlv, without evading the natural force of it in 
the leaff The firft thing that I fhall notice in this 
objection, is the very different and contrary man* 
ner in which you apply thofe words of the apoilie 
from his firil evident intention. He hath abounded 
towards us in all wijdoni and prudence, having made 
known unto us the myjtei yoj his will according to his 
good pleafure, which he hath purpofed in him/el/, that 
in the dijpenjation oj the Julne/s of tunes, hz might 
gather together in one all things inChrift,both which 
are in Heaven, and which are on earth, even in hzm, 
Ephef. i. 8, 9, 10. God hath judged it to be the 
height of heavenly wifdom and prudence to make 
known to his faints, his glorious putpofe, finally 
to rehead all .-'things in Chrift ; and we ought not 
to prefume to be more wife and prudent than he, 

There 



Dialogues on the 



There is no doubt but God hath revealed this great 
truth more immediately to his faints and faithful 
ones for their eonfolation, than for the benefit of the 
iinaily impenitent. 

It is of amazing, I had almoft faid of infinite ufe 
to the people of God, to have this divine counfe! 
declared to them in the prefent time. The knowl- 
edge of this truth entirely removes ail hard thought* 
of God from the minds of thofe who receive it, as 
I can teftify by experience ; for finee 1 have be- 
lieved in the dofclrine of the univerfal Reftoration, 
1 have never had one hard thought of God abiding 
for one minute in my mind, that 1 remember, and 
never expeft to have any more while I continue 
to believe it firmly. 

The belief of the Reftoration is of great ufe in 
fupporting good people under their forrows and 
trials here ; the idea that evil fhall be deftroyed,. 
and ali things reftored to their primitive glory is 
the rooft coniblafory of all other ideas. As this 
dc£lrine tends to remove the greateft difficulties 
from the plan of Providence, and alfo from di- 
vine Revelation, it is evident that the knowledge 
of it muft be of the greateft ufe to all that love 
their great Creator. And therefore if the revela- 
tion of it anfwered no other purpofe in this life, 
bur for the bappinefs, joy, and fatisfa£lion of fuch 
2s love God, we might be fure that he hath made 
it known, and that we rightly underhand thofe 
paffages that hold it forth ; for fince " the fe- 
ci et of the Lord is with them that fear him, and 
iie will fnew them his covenant," Pfal. xxv. 14, 
and " The Lord God will do nothing, but he re- 
vealeth his ferret unto his fervants the prophets," 
Amos iii. 7, there is all the reafon to conclude, 



Univtrfal Rtjlcration* 167 

that if God ever intended to reftore mankind here- 
after, he would not fail to reveal it to his chofen and 
x'aithfd! fervants. And this he hath done, if I can 
underftand the meaning of words. 

It is true that God did not inform our firft par- 
ents before they finned that he had provided a 
remedy ; but not long did he delay after the fall td 
reveal to them, that the feed of the woman fhould 
bruife the ferpenrs head ; Gen. iii. 15. and this 
one text contains in miniature all that I believe 
refpe£ting the Reftoration of mankind ; for if the 
Serpents head is finally to be bruifed, his power 
and influence over mankind, muft be entirely def- 
troyed ; and then what fhall prevent their return to 
Go'd ? 

Befides, it is impoflible to read the Scriptures 
attentively, and not perceive that God very fre- 
quently mixes promifes of mercies among his fever- 
eft threatenings of judgment ; and yet he doth not 
throw down with one hand, what he builds up with 
the other. 

Your object feems to fuppofe that the doctrine 
of the Relforation fupercedes and fets afide thofe 
puniftiments which God has threatened to inflict 
upon the impenitent ; or elfe how does the preach- 
ing of this doctrine weaken the force of the threat- 
enings ? But this is a very falfe idea ; for we ac- 
knowledge that the threatenings fhall be fulfilled, 
and not that the difobedient fhall efcape unpunifhed. 
There is a great deal of difference between thefe 
two ideas, though you would intimate them to be 
1 the fame, and; that we contradict God by afTuring 
1 the wicked that they (hall efcape the juft judgment 
of God. But we only declare that an end fhall 
finally come to their punifhment, and that when 

they 



Dialogues on the 



they {hall be fufficiently humbled a difpenfation of 
mercy fhall fucceed that of judgment. ' Let me 
afk you, Has not God threatened mankind with 
death on the account of fin ? " Dull thou art^ and 
unto duft thou {halt return." Gen. iii. 19. Wei!, 
cell me, is this threatening either weakened or de- 
flroyed by the knowledge of the great doclrine 
of the refurre&ion of the dead ? Did not God 
threaten the children of Ifrael w T ith dreadful judg- 
ments to prevent their Gliding, and that they mould 
be difperfed among all nations ? But will you fay 
that he either weakened cr defhoyed the force of 
his threatening, becaufe he promifed them at the 
fame time that at iaft he would return their captiv- 
ity, and reftore them as at the firft, and do better 
unto them, than at their beginning. 

The laws of this country condemn criminals 
to death ; would it be thought that I fhould weak- 
en or dettroy the force of the penal ftatutes, by 
faying, that the execution of the law could only be 
felt for a certain time, beyond which it could not 
endure ? Is not every malefactor under the fen- 
tence of death fuppofed to know this ? And yet 
will any prefurne to fay, that thefe laws are entire- 
ly weakened, and their force deilroyed becaufe 
they do not condemn tranfgreifors to endiefs pun- 
iftiments ? But, if it be allowed that torments, 
which are but momentary, have a confiderable in- 
fluence in reftraining many vices, there cannot be 
the fmalleft reafon to fear that the doftrine of juft 
retribution - according to the deeds done in the 
body, will open the door to vice and immorality, 
but on the contrary. But this objeftion is fo near 
a kin to the la ft which you propofed, that it hard- 
ly deferves a diftinct confederation ; for if the 

doctrine 



Univerfal Rejloration. 



2% 



<3o£trine of the Roftoration does not lead men to 
-commit fin, (as I am fure it has no fuch tendency) 
then no harm can be apprehended from its being 
known in this ftate. And whereas you argue, 
that as it would not be proper for the prefent flate 9 
we may be fure that God hath not revealed it ; 
and therefore is highly proper for men to know ia 
the prefent Hate. You will plea£e therefore to no- 
tice that the univerfal do6lrine 9 fo far from tend- 
ing to render the divine threatenings ufelefs or 
vain, weakening their force, or fetting them afide, 
operates in the direft contrary manner* I as much 
believe as you or any other man can do, that all 
the threatenings will be fulfilled upon the finally 
impenitent ; but dare not carry the matter fo far as 
to fet afide the gracious promifes of God, with 
which the Scriptures appear to me to abound, in 
favor of the final recovery of all at lad. 

Friend. It muft I think be conferled that if the 
do£trine of the Reftoration be true, it would be 
matter of great joy and comfort for good men to 
know it, for they have often great trouble and 
anxiety 6i mind on the account of their families, 
friends, neighbors, acquaintance, and mankind 
in general ; which fcrrow would be greatly relieve 
ed, could they have an idea of the Reftoration 
of all things in the manner you hold it. But 
however true this may be, it feems not to be plain- 
ly revealed in the Scripture, otherwife it would 
not be hidden from the eyes of fo many great and 
good men. 

Mini/ler. It is poffible, that a fubje&may be re- 
vealed in the plained manner, and yet the bed of 
men may remain ignorant of it. For inftance, were 
not the fufferings, death, and refurre&ion of our 

* P Lord 



17© Dialogues on the 

Lord plainly revealed in the Scriptures of the old 
Teftaraent ? And yet we know that the apoftles 
of our Savior did 5 not underftand one of thofe 
prophecies. Nay, when Jefus told them openly 
and exprefsly that he muft be delivered into the 
hands of men, and that they fhould mock, fcourge, 
end crucify him, and that the third day he fhould 
rife again, they did not comprehend his meaning ; 
although he fpoke to them frequently and very 
plainly upon the fubjeft, and faid, " Let thefe 
fayings fink down into your ears ; for the Son of 
man fhall be delivered into the hands of men. But 
they underftood not this faying, and it w 7 as hid 
from them, that they perceived it not ; and they 
feared to afk him of that faying." St. Luke ix. 
44, 45. And in another place we read, " For he 
taught his difciples, and faid unto them, The Son 
of man is delivered into the hands of men, and 
they fhall kill him ; and after that he is killed, he 
fhall rife the third day. " It is impoffible that words 
fhould be more exprefs, or lefs liable to be mif- 
underftood. " But (as the evangelift immediately 
informs us) lt they underftood not that faying, and 
were afraid to afk him." St. Mark ix. 31, 32. 
And in the fame chapter we find, that after our 
Lord Jefus was transfigured upon the mount, in 
the prefence of Peter, James, and John, " As 
they came down from the mountain, he charged 
them that they fhould tell no man what things 
they had feen, till the Son of man were rifen from 
the dead. And they kept that faying with them^ 
felves, queftioning one with another what the rif- 
ing from the dead (hould mean." Ver. 9, 10. This 
was what Chrift taught them not only plainly, but 
alfo frequently. Se.e St. Matt, xyi, 21, xvii. 9, 

22* 



Univerfal Rtftoration* 



£2, 33. xx. 17, 18, 19. xxvi. 31, 32. St. Mark 
viii. 31. ix. 9, 10, 34, 32. x. 32, 33, 34. xiv. 27, 
28. St. Luke ix. 21, 22, 44, 45. xviii. 31, 32, 

33» 34* 

Yet notwithftanding the plairmefs and frequency 
of thefe predi&ions, and the pains which Chrift 
took to inftil thefe ideas into them, they never un- 
derftood them at all until fometime after they were 
fulfilled. For when they faw him taken and deliv- 
ered into the hands of men, and treated exaftly ac- 
cording to his own words often repeated, they were 
entirely difappointed, and all their hopes feemed 
to die within them. And when he was rifen from 
the dead, they would not believe the teftimony o£ 
thofe who had feen him, and would hardly truft 
their own fenfes, fo ignorant were they of what he 
had told them, 

St. John was the firft of the difciples who be- 
lieved that he was rifen, for thus he writes, " Then 
went in alfo that other difcipie, who came firft to 
the fepulchre, and he faw and believed. For as 
yet they knew not the Scripture that be mud rife 
again from the dead." St. John xx. 8, 9. This 
inftance is fo much to my purpofe, and proves fo 
evidently that a thing may be plainly revealed, and 
expreffed in the cleared manner, and yet not be 
underftood ; that 1 hardly need mention any more, 
But I will mention another, and that is, the calling 
of the Gentiles. This was fpoken of by the proph- 
ets, in the cleared language ; and Jefus after his ref- 
urre£lion gave a full commiffion to his apoflles, 
which one would think it was impoffible for them to 
mifunderftand. 

*' All power is given unto me in heaven and in 
*arth 3 Go ye therefore and teach all nations, " &c. 

St. 



Bialoguts on tht 



St. Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. " Go ye unto all tfr^ 
world, and preach the gofpel to every creature. 5 * 
St. Mark xvi. 15. 

" Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift 
to fuffer, and to rife from the dead on the third 
day ; and that repentance and remiffion ot fins, 
fliould be preached among all nations, beginning 
at Jerufalem. And ye are witnefles of thefe 
things."- St. Luke xxiv. 46, 47, 48. " Ye fhall re* 
ceive power after that the Holy Ghoft is come up- 
on you ; and ye fliall be witnefles unto me both in 
Judeaand in Samaria, and unto the uttermoft; part 
of the earth." A6ts i. 8. But the apoftles them- 
felves, even after the miraculous defcent of the 
Holy Ghoft upon them, were without underftand- 
ing, refpe£fing the calling of the Gentiles, until St. 
Peter was taught it by a vifion from heaven, Ses 
AQs x. 

And St. Paul fpeaks of this fubje£l as a my fiery 
that was hid from ages and generations, and par- 
ticularly revealed to hirs, and to the faints in 
that day. See Ephef. iik 1 — U. Col. t. 25, 26, 
a 7 . 

Wherefore, when I confider that the apoftles 
themfelves could not for a time fee thofe things to 
be revealed^ which yet were in oft plainly, fully^ 
and frequently told them, I cannot wonder that 
many great and good men now fliould not fee the 
general Redemption and final Reftoration of all 
things plainly revealed in the Scriptures, though to 
me fcarce any fubjeft appears more evident. It 
gives me now but little concern to hear many fay, 
that they cannot fee the matter plainly declared in 
ahe Bible, fince I know that things have been 
there that, wife and good men could not fee ; and 

what 



Vniverfal Reftoration. 



what has happened in times paft may take place 
now ; and if I Gan fee for myfelf, this great truth 
made known, it is enough for me. I am not to 
inquire, What does this man believe ? Or, What 
{hall the other do ? I muft believe what the 
Scripture appears to me to teach, and do what I 
am there commanded, let others believe or do as 
they may. 

Friend. But I have heard fome fay of you, " How 
comes this man to know more than al! the world ? 
Have there not been many great, wife, and good 
men in all ages, that have never thought of thefe 
things ? If this dofhine of the finaJ Reftoration 
of all things had been true, furely our wife, good, 
and learned minifters would have difcovered it, and 
proclaimed it long ago. But the do&rine of end- 
lefs mifery is a point in which they feem generally 
to agree, however they differ in other matters, and 
therefore it m&ft be true, and this doftrine of the; 
general Reftoration, which this man holds up, al- 
mod alone, muft be falfeJ* 

Minifter. I am very far from pretending to be 
wifer than any that have gone before me ; and as 
for this doQrine of the Reftoration it was not only 
believed and preached by the apoftles, but many 
of the ancient fathers who liveth in the firft ages 
of Chriftianity, were bold witnefies for this glori- 
ous truth. It is true that when the Church of 
Rome rofe to fupreme power, the Popes and Coun- 
cils endeavored to extirpate the merciful doclors 
(as thofe who believed the general Reftoration, 
were called in derifion) and their adherents, but 
it was not until near the clofe of the feventh cen- 
tury, that ihey were able to filence the witnefles. 
ifor this truth. This, (as well as many other pre- 



Dialogues' cn the 



clous truths.) then lay hid until the reformation^., 
when it began a little to revive, and hath gradually 
i-ncreafed ever fince. Several great authors have 
written upon it many hundreds, and even thou- 
sands have believed it, and found comfort and joy 
therein. Nay, there are many minifters who be- 
lieve it now as firmly as I do, but do not choofe to 
confefs or preach it, for various reafons ; and 
great numbers ot private chriilians enjoy the com- 
fort and happinefs of believing it fecretly. But 
put the cafe that I flood alone in this teftimony 9 
yet if upon a fair examination, the Scriptures hold, 
forth this idea, and if all objections again ft it may 
be fully anfwered ; why fhould my teftimony be 
refufed on the account of its Angularity ? God has. 
an abfolute right to ufe what means or inftruments 
he pleafes, to manifeft his truth, and to fulfil his 
purpofes ; and though I am nothing, and in his^ 
fight am lefs than nothing, yet he is able by the 
things that are not, to confound and bring to nought 
the things that are, that no flelh fhould glory in his 
prefence. I Gor. i. 28, 29. 

I acknowledge that the generality of minifters 
in the prefent day profefs to believe endlefs mifery, 
though they difagree in other points ; and indeed 
one reafon why they fall out fo much about other 
do&rines, is, becaufe they receive this as a firft 
principle, as is very obvious ; for were thofe who, 
believe that Qhrift died only for a part of mankind,, 
once to give up the idea of endlefs mifery, they 
•would acknowledge the univerfality of the love of 
God, and confefs that jefus died for all in the 
fulleft fenfe. And on the other hand, if thofe who- 
believe in general redemption, were not fo exceeds 
injrly tenacious of the do&rine of endlefs mifery, 



Umverfal Reftoration. % %yg 

they would not oppofe the doctrine of ele£tion, 
nor hold that the will of God might be finally 
frustrated, and that the death of Chrifl (hail be in 
vain, with refpecl to many, and that many objefls 
of the divine love fliall finaiiy perifli to all eterni- 
ty. Thefe inconfiftencies in their fentiments, 
and the contefts between them and. thofe who hold 
partial redemption and falvation, are therefore 
chiefly, if not wholly owing to both parties being 
agreed in this rnoft dreadful, dofirine of endlefs 
mifery. 

It is beautiful to obferve the progreflion of the 
glorious gofpel, from its opening to our fir ft pa- 
rents in the garden down to the prefent day. 1 
have fometimes mentioned, in public, that the more 
the gofpel is known and revealed, the larger and, 
richer it appears,. 

It fir ft feemed confined to one family or nation^ 
but later difcoveries shewed that all nations had a 
part therein, and all forts of people were defigned- 
to Ihare in its bleftings ; Now the glorious news 
begins to be publifhed abroad, not only that all 
nations, and all forts of people, but all perfons and 
individuals, without exception, not only may par- 
take of its benefits, but jhall in due time enjoy 
great advantages thereby.. 

God always adapt3 his remedies to the evils- 
that prevail in the world ; and therefore he hath 
opened his counfels to men according to their dif- 
ferent capacities, needs, and circumftances. Christ- 
ianity might, formerly, have been received and firu 
cerely praftifed, without being investigated at all % 
but when infidelity rifes up and attacks it 3 as it does 
in this our age, it becomes the duty of its friends 

defend it, by inquiring into its meaning; and 



Jbialogues on the 



laying all prejudices afide, to receive as truth thofe 
things which God hath revealed, and the fams to 
vindicate before the world. 

It might not formerly have been neceffary to un- 
derftand all the prophecies ; and yet now, as the 
time of their fulfilment draws nigh, they may be- 
come more important, be more ftudied, and better 
underflood ; and for this purpofe, God may a£tu~ 
ally illuminate the minds of fome, to fet them 
forth in a more rational, fcriptural, confiftent man- 
ner, than they have appeared in hitherto. And it 
it mould pleafe God to make any ufe of my tongue 
or pen for this great purpofe, the glory fhall be all 
afcribed to his name, to whom alone it is due ; I 
lliall have nothing ta glory or boaft of, forafmuch 
as I can only communicate what I receive ; and I 
hope none will refufe to receive the truth, however 
weak or unworthy the inftrument by which God 
may pleafe to fend it. 

Friend. If this is the truth which you hold 
forth, however contrary to the commonly receiv- 
ed opinions of the age, I fee no reafon why men 
lhould refufe to hear what you have to fay ; but 
I have heard many exclaim againft you in the fe- 
vered manner ; and declare that they would not 
hear you, nor read your Writings on any account £ 
and others have faid, that they could confute and 
overthrow your whole fyftem in ten minutes, but 
whether they would be able to make their words 
good if they fliould enter the lifts with you is 
another matter, and cannot be determined till a fair 
trial. 

Minifler. I can affure you my friend that I 
fliould not have the leaft objeftion to their making 
she attempt \ for though I am coafcious that nei- 
ther^ 



Univtrfal Rejloratiott. tjf 

thtr my natural nor acquired abilities, are worthy 
to be compared to thofe of many excellent char- 
afters who hold the contrary fentiments ; yet the 
goodnefs of the caufe in which I am engaged, in- 
fpires me with courage to attempt its vindication^ 
let who will enter the lifts with me. For when 
the evidence of this mail glorious truth firft be* 
gan to appear to my mind, 1 was determined never 
to believe or profefs it, until I could anfwer every 
obje&ion that could be brought from the Scrip- 
tures againfi it, fairly and without any torturing; 
or twilling the words of truth ;, and it pleafed 
God fo to open matters to my view, as to take 
every obje&ion but of my mind, and to clear up 
every doubt, in fuch a manner, that I have full 
fatisfailidn t And I can fefely lay, in the fear oE 
God, that I am fo far from being offended with 
thofe who q,ueftion me upon the matter, and there- 
by give me an opportunity of anfwering; for my- 
felf, that I take it as an a£t of kindnefs ; and. as I 
£and ready to be reproved wherein I am out of 
the way, fo 1 fhall thank the perfon who, in the 
fpirit of love, convinces me of error i " Let the 
righteous finite me ; it (hall be kindnefs-; and let 
them reprove me *; it fhall be an excellent oil, which 
fhall not break my head. 5 ' But let not the man 
who would write, dip his pen in gall ; nor he that 
would converfe, make his tongue as a {harp 
fword ; but, " Let all bitternefs, and wrath, and 
anger, and clamor, and evil fpeaking, be put 
away from you, with al! malice ; and be ye kind 
one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one 
another, even as God, for Chrift's fake, hath for- 
given you. Put on, therefore, as the e!e£i of 
God 3 holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kind- 

nefs 5 . 



IjB Dialogues on the 

Befs, humblenefs of mind, meeknefs, long fuffer- 
ing forbearing one another, and forgiving one anoth- 
er, if any man have a quarrel againfl any ; even as 
Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye. And, above 
all things put on charity, which is the bond of 
perfe£lnefs, And let" the peace of God rule in your 
hearts. " Thefe are the tempers of mind we ought 
always to poffefs ; and efpecially, when we dif- 
courfe upon the great things of the- kingdom oi 
God. 

Friend. I have the fame defires that you exprefs ; 
and 1 think h is to the fhame ot human nature, and 
a reproach to the innocent caufe of Chriftianity, 
that religious difputes have been carried on with 
fuch amazing bitternefs and acrimony. Men feem 
frequently to forget that they are brethren ; and 
that they muft ail ftand before the judgment feat of 
Chrift. If they remembered thefe things, as they 
ought, they would not revile, cenfure, judge, and 
condemn each other, as they do : From which evil* 
practices may the good Lord preferve us, while we 
debate this very important fubjeft ; for though I am 
determined to urge every thing that I can with 
propriety, in the flrongeft manner that 1 am able, 
yet I am willing to ftipulateon my part, that if I 
fhould ufe any reproachf ul or cenforious language 
in the remainder of the debate, 1 will give you leave 
to confider it as totally giving ap the caufe in which 
1 am engaged. 

Mimjler. And I hereby prom He the fame ; for I 
am determined never to write a page of controverfy, 
unlefs it can be written in the very fpirit of love and 
true benevolence, with a finccre defire to find and 
tmbrace the truth* 



-Univcrfal Rejloration. tyy 



The want of this in mo ft controverfial writers, 
has made ferious people fo weary of controverfy, 
that they will neither read nor hear it on any ac- 
count ; nor can I wonder at it, for fuch bitternefs 
tends entirely to root out the fpirit of true relig- 
ion. 

Friend. I hope we fhall mew an example to man- 
kind, how difputes ought to be carried on ; in love, 
and in the fear of God, and for the purpofe of mu- 
tual edification. But as our prefent difcourfe has 
been long and vefy important, I will take my leave 
of you for this time, hoping at a future opportunity 
to have more converfation with you on this fo in- 
terefting a fubjeft. 



END OF THE THIRD DIALOGUE. 




% 



DIALOGUE 



Dialogues en iht 



DIALOGUE IV. 



W \ J T happy to have another opportu- 
A aity of difcourfing with you, con~ 
cerning that point in which you differ from your 
brethren, the final Reftoration of all things. 1 have 
thought much of the fuhjeft fince 1 faw you ; and 
though I tnuft acknowledge, that you have anfwer- 
ed, as far as I can fee, fome of the greateft objec- 
tions that I have found in the Scriptures; yet a con~ 
fiderabie number remain to be anfwered, before I 
can venture to receive as a truth, what I have hith- 
erto looked upon as a dangerous kerejy ; and as I 
liave many queftions to propofe, I wifh to make the 
beft ufe of my time. 

Minifier. Propofe your objections, as freely as 
you pieafe ; and 1 will endeavor to anfwer them 
as briefly, and at the fame time as plainly as poffi- 
ble. 

Friend. Christ threatens the Jews with an e- 
ternal exclufion from his prefence : " Ye fhall feek 
me, and fhall not find me ; and where I am, thith- 
er ye cannot come," St. John vii. 34. Then faid 
Jesus again unto them, I go my way,, and ye 
fhall feek me, and fhall die in your fins : Whither 
I go, ye cannot come* Ye are from beneath, I am 
from above ; ye are of this world 1 am not of 
this world. I faid therefore unto you, That ye 

fball 



Wuverfal Rejloration. i%% 



thai] die in your fins ; for if ye believe not that I 
am he, ye (hall die in your fins," St. John viii. 21, 
23, 24, 

Minifler. Do you recollect that our Lord ufes 
words nearly firailar to feme of thefe, to his own 
difciples ? 

Friend. No, indeed ; I do not rem€mber any 
i-ch like expreffions ufed to them : Can you fhew 
them to me ? 

Minijter. If I do, will you acknowledge the 
iorce oi the objeftion to be removed ? 

Friend. Certainly, I mufL 

Mimjler. Then read St. John xiii. 33. u Little 
•children, yet a little while I am with you, Ye 
fhall feek me, and, as I faid unto the Jews, Whith- 
er 1 go, ve cannot come ; fo how 1 fay unto 
you."' 

Friend. I am furprized that I fhould never have 
obferved this before— Let me read the pa {f age— 
Oh ! but flop — -it is explained in the 36th verfe : 
c< Simon Peter faid unto him, Lord, whither goeft 
thou ? Jefus anfwered him, Whither I go, thou 
canft not follow me now ; but thou fhalt follow 
me afterwards. 55 But nothing of the kind is inti- 
mated refpe&ing the Jews. 

Minifter. Not in that text, I confefs ; but in ma- 
ny others it is more than intimated, that they (hall 
come to know and love him, yea, and to behold 
him as their friend/ I think, it is intimated in 
thofe words which our Savior ufed, in the clofe 
of his threatenings to Jerufalem : — " Behold, your 
houfe is left unto you defolate ; and verily I fay 
unto you, Ye mall not fee me henceforth, until 
the time come when ye fhall fay, BlefTed is he that 
cometh in the name of the Lord," St. Mattb. 

Q xxiii, 



l8fl 



Dialogues on the 



xxiii. 38, 39. St. Luke xiii. 35. It is more than 
intimated in thefe words — " And fo all if rati (haii 
be'faved. For Go D hath concluded them all in un- 
belief, that he might have mercy upon all," Rom, 
xi. 26, 32. " In Jehovah (hall all the feed of If 
rael be juftified, and (hall glory," lfai. xlv. 2.5. ** I 
will call them my people, who were not my peo- 
ple ; and her Beloved, that was not beloved. And 
it (hall come to pafs, that in the place where it was 
faid unto them, Ye are not my people, there {hall 
they be called, The children ot the living God," 
Rom. ix. 25, 26. " Now will I bring again the 
captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole 
houfe of Ifrael : I have gathered them unto their 
own land, and have left none of them," Ezek. 
xxxix. 25, 28. " And I will multiply men upon 
you, (the mountains of Ifrael) all the Houfe of 
Ifrael, even all of it," xxxvi. 10. " Behold, O 
my people, I will open your graves, and caufe you 
to come up out of your graves, and bring you in- 
to the land ot Ifrael. And ye (hall know that I 
am Jehovah, when 1 have opened your graves, 
O my people, and brought you up out ot your 
graves, and dial! put my Spirit in you, and ye 
(hall live, and I (hall place you in your own land ; 
then fljall ye know that I, Jehovah, have fpoken 
it, and performed it, faith J eho V AH," chap, xxxvii, 

I2 > x 3> M- . . 

Friend. But this returning trom captivity, can 

only refpeft fuch as are alive at that period, 

when the Lord (hall fet his hand the fecond time 

to recover the remnant of his people from A(Tyr- 

ia, &c. 

Minifter. That is more than any one can prove : 
as the expreffion is fometimes ufed evidently for 

the 




Univerfal Rtjloration. 



the Reparation of fuch whofe bodies are deftroy- 
ed, beyond difpute ; as,. in the cafe of Sodom and 
her daughters, who were taken away, by fire and 
brimftone from heaven, whofe captivity Goi> 
promifes to return, together with the captivity of 
Samaria, and her daughters, at the fame time that 
he will bring again the captivity cf Jeruja^ 
km, and her daughters, m the mid ft of them. 
See Ezek. xvi. 44 63, ; efpecially, verfes 53*, 

Friend. But Mr. Poole's Continuators, as well 
as many other eminent divines, tell us, that thefe 
which you take to be promifes, are only dreadful 
threatenings- ; and their meaning is this :— I never 
will bring again the captivity of Samaria, and her 
daughters ; nor the captivity of Sodom, and her 
daughters ; neither will I' ever bring again the cap. 
tivity of thy captives, in the mid ft of them ; when 
Sodom and her daughters mall return to their form- 
er eftate, (which is impoffible) and Samaria and 
her daughters mall return to their former eftate, 
(which mall never be) then thou and' thy daughters 
lhall return to your former eftate; but that time 
{hall never come,- 

Mini/ler. 1 know, fuch is their interpretation, 
which proves nothing more than the weaknefs of 
their cau-fe ; for in all this, they exprefsly contra- 
dict God, who, from the 60th verfe to the end of 
the chapter, promifes bSeffings to Jerufalem in the 
moft abfolute manner : That he will remember the 
covenant made with her in the days of her youth, 
and will eftablifh unto her an everlafting cov- 
enant ; that fhe fhall receive her fifters, Samaria 
and Sodom, (called her eider and her younger fi f- 
t^rs \) and he promifes to give them to her, for 

daughters ; 



»« 4 



Dialogues en the 



daughters * r not by the firft covenant, indeed, 
but by the new and everlafting covenant, which 
he wiil make in thofe days; then (hall the covenant- 
be firmly eftablifhed with her ; fhe (bail know Je- 
hovah ; (hall remember, and be confounded ; and 
never (hall open her mouth in pride any more, 
becaufe of her former fin and flhame, when God 
lhail be pacified toward her, for all that fhe hath 
done. 

How many promifes has God made to Jferufalem^ 
in the prophecies, ot not only bringing her captivi- 
ty, and returning her to her former eft ate ; but even 
caufiog greater blefiings than ever to come to her, 
and of doing better to her than in her beginning* 
making her an eternal excellency, a joy oi many gen- 
erations, &c. 

It is therefore very furprifing, that men profeff- 
ing to believe the Bible, fliould dare be fo bold as- 
to deny thefe promifes, and declare, that God will 
r.ever'bring Jwufakm to her former eftate ! They 
might, indeed, fafely fay, that the promifes have 
not yet been fulfilled ; but it is too bold to affert, 
That therefore they will never be accomplished. 
Were there no other text to prove the Reftorationof 
the Jews who died in their fins, and indeed of the 
whole fallen race of Adam, 1 mould Judge this fqf- 
fieieot ; — " All that the Father givetk me,Jhall come 
to me ; and him that cometh unto me, 1 will in no 
wife cafl out. For I came down from heaven, 
not to do my own will, but the will of him that 
fent me. And this is the Father's will, which 
hath fent me, that of all which he hath given 
me, I fhould lofe nothing ; but fhould raife it up a- 
gain at the lail day/' St. John vi. 37, 38, 39. Here 
we find that Chrift % our Lord, declares, not only 

that 



Univerfal Rejloration. 18? 



that all that the Father giveth him Jliall come to 
him ; but alfo, that they (hall come in fucb a man- 
ner, as in no wife to be cajl out ; a»d that fuch is 
the Father's will, that nothing of ail which he hath 
given to the Son mould be loft, or miffing, at that 
great day when he fhall deliver up the kingdom to 
the Father, who did put all things under him : and 
as this is the will of that God who- worktih all 
things after the counfel of his own will ; and as Chrijl 
has undertaken the accomplishment of this will of 
the Father, it concludes abfolutely and forcibly 
again ft the doctrine of endlefs mifery, and annihila- 
tion. 

Friend. It certainly does, with refpect to all 
thofe whom the Father giveth, or hath given, to the 
Son; but to none elfe. 

Minijler. That is all that I contend for t I 
ground the Univerfal Reftoration of all things, up- 
on thefe two premifes, which I call the major and 
the minor. 1. That ail things are given to the Son, 
without exception : 2. That all that are gioen him, 
fhall come to him, in fuch a manner as not to be 
cajl out ; and that none fhall be miffing, loft, or 
wholly deflroyed, but fhall be forthcoming, in 
that great day when Chrijl fhall give up the king- 
dom to the Father,. 

Friend. But can you prove your major ? I am 
fenfible ifaat the minor has been the great founda- 
tion upon which particular redemption, &c. has been 
fupported ; but if the major can be proved, it will 
fet the ftrongeft weapons of thofe who hold partial 
decrees, &c. directly againft them, and will give 
another turn to the argument. 

Minijler. I can prove the major by the famepof- 
itive expreffions as the ?ninor, and by more paflV 

ges; 



Dialogues on tkt 



ges of Scripture ; and you fh all judge for yot*?- 
felf, whether I quote them fairly* and whether 
they can be invalidated by any arguments which 
will not. at the fame time, invalidate the minor. I 
will fet down the feveral texts at large, as they are 
Ot great importance. 

St. Matth. xi. 27. " All things are delivered un- 
to me 01 niv Father ; and no man knoweth the Son 
but the Father; neither knoweth any man the 
Father, fave the So??, and he to whomfoever the 
Son will reveal him/ 3 The very fame words are 
mentioned by St. Luke : See chap. x. 22. 

But the in oft ftriking paflages of this kind, are 
found in the gofpel of St. John, chap. iii. 35, and 
xiii. g. " The Father loveth the Son, and hath giv- 
en all things %into his hands. Jtfus knowing 
that the Father had given all things into his hands,, 
and that he was come from God, and went to 
God, &c." 

God hath moreover faid to his Son, " Afk of 
me, and I mall give thee the heathen for thine in- 
heritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth lor 
thy poffeffion," Pfal. 

Thus, all things are given to Chrijl, without ex- 
ception. The major and mino^heLing both proved 
from Scripture, we may venture to draw this con- 
el ufi on : 

If all things are given into the hands of Chrijl y 
by the Father ; and all that the Father giveth, or 
"bath given, fhall come to Chrijl, in fuch a man- 
ner as not to be call out ; then fhall all men be re- 
Sored. 

Here the whole Chriftian world may unite, with- 
out either party being obliged to give up their fa- 
vorite tenets ; and while fome ftrongly contend, 

and 



Univerfal Rejloration. i$y 

and prove from Scripture, that all things are deliv- 
ered into the hands of Jefus ; let the others go on 
to prove, that all that the Father giveth, {hall come 
in fuch a manner as not to be caft out : Thus (hall 
the truth be promoted mutually and equally, by 
thofe who feem to contradict each other ; but nei- 
ther fhall, in that cafe s contradi£l what our Lord > 
hath faid. 

But as all things, or all ?nen, without exception^ , 
are given to Jefus, that he might reftore, or bring . 
them back to God, in his own way and time ; fo 
is he inverted with all power, that he might be able 
to accompli Qi fo great a work. Jefus fpake, fay- 
ing, 46 All power is given unto me, in Heaven and 
in earth," St. Matth. xxviii. 18, 4 4 For as the Fath- 
er hath life in himfelf, fo hath he given to the San 
to have life in himfelf ; and hath given him author*, 
ity to execute judgment alio, becaufe he is the 
Son of man, 33 St. John v. 26, 27. Jefus or Lord % 
has power to quicken fouls who are dead in tref- 
paffes and fins ; fee Ephef. ii. 1. He himfelf 
faith ; " Verily, verily, 1 fay unto you, The howr 
is coming, and now is, when the dead fhall hear 
the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear 
fhall live, St. John v. ^25. He hath power to raife 
all the dead that are In the graves ; for he faith 
" Marvel not at this ; for the hour is coming* in 
which all that are in their graves (hall hear his 
voice, and fhall come forth ; they that have done 
good to the refurreclion of life ; and they that 
have done evil, to the refurre&ion of damnation," 
verfe2(j. But he has not only power to raife the 
dead, and quicken whom he will ; to give rewards 
to them that love him, and to pafs fentence of judg- 
ment and condemnation upon his foes, and they 

thar 



i§8 ! Dialogues an the 

tfiat Have done evil ; but has alfo power to fubdue 
all things unto himfelfj to reconcile all things, and 
fo rehead all things in himfeif: And whatever 
methods he may ufe towards mankind, and whatever 
mifenes he may fuffer them to feel for their fins, 
and how long foever the dreadful age of judg- 
ment and fiery indignation may laft, Chrijl has 
given us to underftand, in his prayer to the Father \ 
that the power which he hath, was given with a 
defign far fuperior to this, (though judgment is in- 
cluded) — he faith, (in that addrefs which, for its 
grandeur, beauty, fimpiicity, and majefty, never 
was equalled ;), " As thou haft given him power 
over all 'JlcJIi, that he fhould give eternal life to as 
many (pan, all), as thou haft given him. And 
this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the^ 
only true Gad, and Jejus Chrijl whom thou haft 
fern," St. John xvii. 2, 3, Here we fee, that his 
power over all flefh was given him for this grand 
purpofe, that ultimately he might give eternal life ; 
not only endlefs exiftence, but the knowledge of 
God and his Chrijl, to all that the Father hath 
given him ; which are all without exception.- — This 
is the will of God, that of all which he hath given 
the Son, he mould lofe nothing ; but fhould give 
eternal life, even the knowledge of God, which 
he alone can give, to all, without referve, whom 
the Father hath given him ; this is the will which 
Chrijl came to do, and this he hath power to per- 
form. — Now, if he came purpofely to do the will 
of God ; and if it is the will of God, that of all 
that the Father hath given to the Son, he^ fhould 
_ Fbfe nothing ; but fhould bring all to himfeif, in 
fuch a manner as that they fhould not be caft out^ 
and give them all eternal life ; and if ail, without 

referve 



Univerfal Reft "oration. 



185 



referve, are given to him, and univerfal power and 
dominion are his, for this very purpofe ; if all thefe 
premifes are true — as who can deny ? — then noth- 
ing can be more evident than this conclufion, viz* 
that All Jhall be at loft reflored. 

" It is written in the prophets, (faith Jefus — And 
they fhall all be taught of Go J. Every man there- 
fore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Fath- 
er % cometh unto me," St. John vi. 45. — If all fhall 
be taught of God; and all that are taught fhall come 
to Chrift ; and none that come to him fhall be caft 
out or rejected ; if all thefe premifes are true (and, 
I think, they are fully proved ;) how very naturally 
the conclufion follows, viz. that all fhall be finally 
brought: home to God, before Chrift fhall refign the 
kingdom to the Father. 

Our bleffed Lord is invefted with power fuffi- 
cient to perform this work : It is the will of God 
that it mould be done ; Chrift came into the world 
on purpofe. to begin, and lay a foundation for the 
fame \ he hath laid a fufficient foundation, by tail- 
ing death {ox all ; one dieel for all ; he gave him- 
felt a ranfom for all, to be teftified in due time ; 
and he feemed confident that he fhouid be able to 
accomplifh this will of the Father % when he faid, 
" And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw 
ail unto me/ 5 St. John xii. 32. He was lifted up 
from the earth, and therefore the if is now no 
more ; he will certainly draw all unto himfelr, and 
give eternal life, or the knowledge of God to alK 
He fluilljee of the travail of kisjoul, and be fatisjied ; 
And who can conceive how much it will take to 
fatisfv the capacious foul of the Son of God, and 
efpecially after having borne fuch deadly pains for 
all ? Thefe paffages, my friend 5 eitablifli my mind, 



* 90 



Dialogues on the 



in the belief of the final univerfal Reftitution, be- 
yond all hefitation ; neverthelefs, I would not wifii 
to force your affent, were it in my power, but only 
to lay before you that evidence which was wrought 
upon me, and has brought me over, notwitbftand- 
ing my -education, prejudices, former femiments, 
cuftom, the multitude, my intereft, my honor, and 
connexions, were all againft it. 

Friend. I fuppofe you know the expositions that 
are given by the generality of expofitors upon all 
thefe texts ; and it is a fa£t that thoufands and 
millions of great and good men have read them,, 
many have preached from them, and yet never faw 
any thing like the univerfal Reftoration contained 
in them ; but if the doctrine be true, and be at all 
intended to be fet forth in the Scriptures, I rati ft 
fuppofe that the pafTages you have mentioned, may 
allude to it ; but I have many obje&ions yet to pro*, 
pofe, which mufl be fairly anfwered, before 1 cars, 
receive it. 

Minift-er. I would choofe you fhould propofe 
every obje&ion that you can, efpecially thofe that 
may be brought from the facred page ; not only 
for your own fatisfaflion, but left any mould bs 
led to fuppofe that obje&ions of the greateft force 
are purpofely kept back, becaufe no folid anfwers 
eouid be found ; whereas I am defkous of hearing 
whatever can be fairly urged from the Scriptures 
againft this view, and make no doubt of being able 
to (hew, that ail may be fully anfwered. 

Fnend, What do you think of thofe pafTages, 
where God is reprefented as fwearing in his wrath 
that unbelievers mall not enter into his reft, which 
are found in Pfal. xcv. n. Heb. iii. II, 18, 19. 
^hap. iy. g, 6, compared with Numb. xiv, ■ Do 



Univtrfal Rejior alien. lot 



they not feem to cut off all hopes of the reftoration 
of thofe who die in their fins ? 

Minifter. By the reft that was promifed to the 
children of lfrael, which they forfeited by their un- 
belief, we muft underftand the land of Canaan, and 
not the final ftate of happinefs. For who can fup- 
pofe, that out of more than fix hundred thoufand 
men, befides women, only two wil 1 be faved ? — = 
and that even Mofe.s and Aaron, thofe faints of the 
Lord, will be loft among the reft ? For they, as 
well as others, entered not in ; becaufe they be- 
lieved not God, to fanclify him before the congre- 
gation : (See Numb. xx. 12.) Only Caleb and jfofh- 
ua entered into that reft, for they followed the 
Lord fully ; and they are typical ot thofe who fhall 
follow the Lamb in all ages, fa as to obtain a part 
in the jirjl refurreclion, over whom the fecond 
death lliall have no power ; they who are called % 
and chofen, and faithful, and are overcomers, fhall 
reign with Ckrijl on earth during the Milienium> 
which is the reft that was pointed out by the land 
of Canaan, 

Friend, Is it, indeed ? We have commonly un« 
derftood that reft which the children of lfrael had 
in the promifed land, as typical of Heaven and eter- 
nal felicity. * 

Minifter. This cannot be ; fince it is evident 
that mighty wars were waged, and dreadful battles 
fought, thirtyone kings and kingdoms were con« 
quered and fubdued by Jofhua and the Israelites, 
after they paffed over Jordan ; it was not a perfeft 
reft, but only a type of that keeping ol the fabbath 
which remains for the people of God, into which 
we are exhorted to enter ; which is the time w 7 hen 
our Lord % after having conquered the nations of 

the 



ng2 Dialogues on the 

the earth, {hall reign for a thou) ana ! year s, before the 
fecond refurreclion ; but as many of the Ifraelites 
may he favedin the day of the Lord, whofe carca. 
fes fell in the wildernefs j fa, likewife, {hall the 
names of many be found in the book of life, at the 
general judgment, when the dead, fmall and great, 
{hall ftand before God, who were not worthy to 
have a part in the firft refurreclion.- Thefe paffages, 
therefore, conclude ftrongly again ft thoft having a 
part in the firft refurreclion ; but nothing againft the 
final Reftoration, which is a ftate far beyond, and be- 
longs to another difpenfation. 

Friend. This is quite a different comment from 
what I have ever heard before ; but allowing this ob- 
jection to beanfwered, I have another in my mind, 
that appears very difficult, and I mould be glad to 
know what you can fay upon it ; it is drawn from 
Ifaiah xxvii. 11. " For it is a people of no under- 
ftanding ; therefore he that made them will not have 
mercy on them, and he that formed them will fhew 
them no favor.' 5 How can they ever be reflored, 
if God will not have mercy upon them, nor fhew 
them any favor ? 

Mmifier. If we did not underftand thefe words 
with fome .limitation, it would be as difficult to re- 
concile them with other paffages of Scripture, as 
w T ith the dofclrine of the Reftoration ; but if we 
only limit the time, all is eafy ; " He {hall have 
judgment without mercy, that hath (hewed no 
mercy ; >5 neverthelcfs it is added, " but mercy re- 
joiceth agninft judgment," James ii. 13. The way 
I anfwer all thefe threatenings, and fhew them to 
be confiftent with that boundlefs mercy of God, 
that is over all his works, is, to {hew, that both 
wrath and mercy have their feafon ; that anger en- 

durctk 



Universal Reft oration* 193 

xtureth but a moment, but that mercy endureth for 
ever ; which glorious declaration is expreffed more 
than forty times in the Scripture ; and that God 
frequently threatens the greater! judgments, and 
promifeth the greatefl mercies, to the fame people 
and perfons. " Thus faith Jehovah, Thy bruifc 
is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There 
is none to plead thy caufe, that thou 22 aye ft be 
bound up ; thou haft no healing medicines. All 
thy lovers have forgotten thee ; they feek thee 
not ; fori have wounded thee with the wound of 
an enemy, with the chaftifement of a cruel one, 
for the multitude of thine iniquity ; becaufe thy 
fins were increafed. Why crieft thou for thine 
affiiftion ? Thy forrow is incurable, for the mul- 
titude of thine iniquity ; becaufe thy fins were in- 
creafed, I have done thefe things unto thee." 
Now, who would not think, from reading thefe 
words, that thefe people were in a mod hopelefs 
ftate, beyond the reach of mercy ; and that it was 
in vain even for them to feek it ? — And yet the ve- 
ry next words fpeak a language directly contrary, 
*' Therefore all they that devour thee, (hall be de- 
voured, &c. For 1 will re ft pre health unto thee, 
and I will heal thee of thy wounds, faith Jeho- 
vah ; becaufe they called thee an Outcaft, laying, 
This is Zion, whom no man feeketh after." See 
Jer. xxx. 12 — 17. I could juftify this obferva- 
tion by hundreds of paffages wherein God threat- 
ens his people with judgments the moft fevere, and 
declares — that his eyes fhall not pity, nor his arm 
fave ; that he will y Kit their tranfgreffions upon 
them, will utterly cad them off, and will not 
have compafiion on them at all ; and then fuch 
promifes of mercy break out as are fufficient to af- 
R tonifti 



Dialogues on the 



tonifli every one with their greatnefs. But time 
would fail. to quote them at large. God, by Ho- 
fea, fays, 44 1 will no more have mercy upon the 
houfe of Ifrael ; but I will utterly take them away. 
For ye are not my people, and 1 will not be your 
God." And then immediately fays, f peaking of a 
time to come, " And it {hall come to pafs, that in 
the place where it was faid unto them, Ye are not 
my people, there it fhall be faid unto them, "Ye 
are the fons of the living God." See Hofea, i, 6. 
g, 10. k 

The whole prophecy, indeed, feems of a piece 
with this fpecimen. In the fecond chapter it is 
faid, c< Plead with your mother, plead ; for file is 
not my wife, neither am I her hufband ; and I 
will not have mercy upon her children ; for they 
be the children of whoredoms/' Then he goes 
on to pronounce many dreadful threatenings ; but 
the chapter clofes with the moft amazing promifes 
of mercies to the fame people, under the fimilitude 
of a wife that had been rejefted, and after a long 
time received again. " And I will betroth thee 
unto me for ever ; yea, I will betroth thee unto 
me in righteoufnefs, and in judgment, and in lov- 
ing kindnefs, and in mercies. I will even betroth 
thee unto me in faithfulnefs, and thou fhalt know 
the Lord. And 1 will fow her unto me in the 
earth, and I will have mercy upon her that had not 
obtained mercy ; and I will fay to them who are 
v/ere not my people, Thou are my people ; and 
they fhall fay, Thou art my God See Hof. ii. 2 t 
4, 19, 20, 23. Thus the obje£Hon admits of a fair 
and rational anfwer ; and 1 have been the larger 
upon it, becaufe I judged it of great importance 
to clear it up thoroughly : but more paflages upon 



Univerfal Rijfor ation. io5 

this fubjefl are needlefs, or I could eafily produce 
great numbers, that fpeak to the fame purpofe. 

Friend. You have feemed to come over this ob- 
jection rather better than 1 coul \ have expected, 
but I muft beg leave to afk you, What you do with 
that paffage ; (Pfa-lms xiix. 19.) 44 He ihall go to 
the generation of his fathers ; they ihall never fee 
light ?" 

Minijler. I render the words gaacl natzah, " un- 
til fa bd tied and overcome, they Qiall not fee the 
light ; or, until the age, or a certain period, they 
fhali not fee the light. " The fame words are ufed 
in Job xxxiv. 36 , where they are rendered <; unto 
the end" 44 My defire is, that Job may be tried 
unto the end. How won Id it feem to remder the 
words thus — 44 My defire is, that Job may be tr 
never ; or, may never be tried ? 5 ' This would be 
quite -inconfiftent with the nature or things, m 
well as a contradiction in the words therhfelves ; 
For firft to fay, 44 My defire is, that Job may be 
tried, " and then to add words that mean never, is 
quite ridiculous even to fuppofe ; but render the 
words, unto a time or period " or as they will bear, 
64 until he be fubdued or overcome" and the meaning 
is both plain and benevolent ; but to wiih him tri- 
ed/07- ever, world without end, would be a moil 
malevolent wi(h — and to wiih him tried never r 
would be nonfenfe. 

Friend. This tranfiation is very different from 
that which we commonly read, in which the text- 
appears a very formidable objection indeed ; for if 
they fhall never fee the light, they cannot be ref- 
tored. 

Minifter. The- word never is forrietimes ufed in- 
our tranflatiom in fuch a manner as to oblige us 

UP 



196 



Dialogues on the 



to underftand it in a limited fenfe, as has beerf prov- 
ed before; Lev. vi. 13. " The fire fhall ever be 
burning upon the altar, it fhall never go out and 
in feveral other olaces. 

Friend. I muf allow that the words you men- 
tion feem very firong and abfolute, but the very 
reafon of things obliges us to limit their meaning 
to a period or age ; but where no fuch neceffity 
appears we mufl underfiand fuch words in the 
mo ft ab folate and unlimited fenfe. 

Minifler. I think there is as abundant reafon 
irom Scripture to limit the time of punifhment as 
any thing whatever ; as I trull will appear in the 
courfe of our converfation, for which purpofe I 
fhall be glad to hear all that you are able to urge 
a^ainft the dodrine of the Reftoration. 

Friend. The next objection I fhall bring is from 
Job xxxvi. 18. " B.ecaufe there is wrath, beware 
left he take thee away with his ftroke ; then a 
great ranfom cannot deliver thee." By which we 
underfland, that after death there is no deliver- 
£;;ee, no, not even by that great ranfom the blood 
of C/iriJi. 

Minfter. This would be one of the flrongeft ob- 
jections that you have yet advanced, if the words 
a great ranfom, had any allufion to tire blood of the 
dear Redeemer, and if it could be fairly demonftrat- 
cd, that it can have no power over the dead ; but 
1 apprehend, when you read and confider the text, 
context, and fimilar paffages, you will fee that 
p.q fuch thing is intended. 

Job had frequently wifhed for death in his trou- 
ble and anguifh, (as many perfons foolifhly and 
v'ickedly do, that have never felt the tenth part 
ex his afflictions] for which Elihu juftly reproves 



Vfniverp.il Rejloralion. igy 



IMitr, in thefe words M Becaufe there is wrath, be- 
ware left he take thee away with his ftroke ; then 
a great ranfom cannot deliver thee," from death 
and the grave ; from being cut off by the hand of 
Heaven, j u illy provoked by thyrafhnefs : " Will 
he efteem thy riches ?" Will he account thy great 
riches a ranfom for thy life ? " No not gold, nor 
all the forces of ftrength Wouldeft thou give 
ever fa much of the precious ore to ranfom thy 
life, it would be unavailable ; or, fhouldeft thou 
truft in thy~ ftrength of body or mind ;. fhoudleft- 
thou plead the readinefs of thy wit, the ftrength.- 
and greatnefs of thy judgment, memory, and 
other faculties thy benevolence of difpofition ; 
thy ufefuinefs in life, thy numerous connexions,; 
the great honors that await thee ; wert thou a 
monarch, and couldeft thou command armies and 
valiant hofts, ftrong and mighty ; all thefe things- 
would be totally difregarded by God, if , he, pro- 
voked by thy raihnefs, fhould give thee thy wiih, 
and i flue the deatii warrant again ft thy life ; there- 
fore, confidering thefe things, " Defire not the 
night (of death, and especially fudden death) when 
people are cut off in their place ; and there is no 
remedy, no- ranfom,, no difcharge in that war;, 
from which neither power, wifdom, might, riches,, 
honors, wickednefs, nor even virtue, can deliver* • 
" Take heed, regard not iniquity do not fin in any 
wife, and efpecially do not rafhly wifli for death 
which is very prefumptuous and heaven daring ; 
i% for this thou haft chofen, rather than affliction i 99 * 
See Job xxxvi. 1 8, J9, 20, 21. This is evident- 
ly the plain meaning or the text, and is confirmed 
W VM. xlix. 6, 7, 8, 9. " They that truft in. 
their wealth, and boaffc themfelves in. the muhi- 



Dialogues en the 



tude of their riches ; none of them can by anr 
means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ran- 
iom for him : (For the redemption of their foul i& 
precious, and it ceafeth for ever.) That he fhould 
ftill live forever, and not fee corruption." But r 
though the power of wealth, wifdom, and ftrength^ 
are not fufficient to buy a fhort reprieve from 
death ; yet the power of God is able to ranfom 
therefrom, and to redeem from the grave, or hell, 
as I have noticed before ; and which is expreffed 
in the laft mentioned Pfalm, in the following 
terms ; " But God will redeem my foul from the 
power of the grave ; for he fhall receive me, 5 ' ver. 
15,. And by the fame parity of reafoning, that 
the' power of the Highest is able alfo to redeem 
or ranfom, the bodies of men from the grave, af- 
ter they have perifhed there ; he is able alfo to 
jedeem fouls from fin and mifery, if it be his 
pieafure ;, and, by the blood of the Messiah's, 
covenant, to fend forth his prifoners out of the 
pit wherein is no water, not even a drop to cool 
the tongues of thofe who are tormented there. I 
have therefore no doubt, but, the blood of Chrijl 
is able to redeem to the uttermoft, and is fufficient 
to de&roy the power of fin, death, and hell. No- 
thing in the text on which your objection is found, 
ed, can depreciate the merit of that cleanfing, all- 
powerful blood, by proving that it cannot be ef- 
fectual to loft fouls. 

Friend, But have you forgot that the Scripture 
fays, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it 
with thy might ; for there i* no work,' nor device, 
nor knowledge, n©r wifdom, in the grave, whither 
thou goeft. And if the tree fall toward the 
fg&thj ox toward the north y in, the place where the 

tree 



Univerfal Rejloraiim* 



tree falieth, there it {hall be ?" Ecclef. ix. 10. xi. g. 

Minifter* No ; I have not forgot that fuch paf- 
fages are found in the Bible ; and 1 believe they 
were written with a defign to make us diligent, 
and wifely to improve our time and talents ; ani 
that we {hould be liberal in giving alms,, which, 
feems especially to be the meaning of the laft r if we 
may judge by the connexion in which it is found,, 
and without which 1 am not able to fay what it in- 
tends ; But, in this cafe, they do not appear to me 
to be any thing to the purpoie, one way or the 
other ; and yet no Scriptures are more frequently 
brought than thefe again ft the do&rine of the Res- 
toration of all things ; but commonly accompani- 
ed with fome additions ; fuch as — " There is no 
repentance in the grave ; nor pardon offered to the 
dead." — <s And as death leaves us, fo judgment 
finds us." — Words that 1 have never found in the 
Bible ; but were they repeated ever fo often, coulcl 
not affect this argument ; fmce the general Reftora- 
tion cannot happen till long after the iaft Judg- 
ment, and will not be wholly compleated till the 
time of the creation of the new heaven's and earthy 
wherein righteoufnefs alone (hail dwell. 

We all know, that the grave is a place of inac- 
tivity, where there is no work, device, knowledge^ 
nor zcifdom ; and it is a (late to which we mall foon 
be brought ; and, therefore, we ought to be dili- 
gent and induftrious now ; But thofe who believe 
in the immortality of the JouU will not undertake 
to prove from thefe words, that it has no knowledge, 
pr zvifdom % after it leaves the body ; fmce many 
of them fay, that the foul knows much more in 
one hour after that event takes place, than in the 
whole period of its exiftence before, And as for 
. • that* 



200 



Dialogues on the 



thofe who believe that man dies zokoliy, and fieeps 
in the grave until the refurreftion, they can never 
bring this text with any confiftency againft the fi- 
nal Restoration of all men ; becaufe, let what will 
be the ftate of things in the grave, nothing can 
prevent our Savior from raifing all at laft, and 
changing them finally for the better, if fuch be 
his pleafure. I might, therefore, juft as well at- 
tempt, from the vii and xiv chapters of Job, to 
prove, that there (hall be no refurreclion of the 
dead from their graves, notwithstanding the nu- 
merous promifes of that grand event ; as any per- 
foil to prove, from thefe and fimilar paffages, that 
all men fliall not be finally re ored ; fince what is 
(aid in thofe chapters feeros ten times more againft 
the former, than any thing that can be urged from 
thele is againft the latter. The doclrine of the 
general refurreclion of the juft and unjuft ; and a 
ftate of rewards for the former, and pumftunent? 
for the latter, according to their works ; and alfo 
the fubjeclion, final reconciliation, and reunion of 
all things iti Christ, are all exprefsly revealed,, 
and are made the fubjeft of prophecies, threaten- 
ings, and promifes ; and are all truths, that cannot 
be overthrown by aay reafonings, as they are plain- 
ly declared by God himfelf. 

The Scripture, in abundance of places, highly 
recommends liberality ; and, in the raoft pofitive 
manner, affures the bounteous, that they ftrafi be 
bieffed : I need not recite paffages to prove, what 
is fo univerfally known and confeffed. Sc/omon 9 . 
therefore, having given may excellent precepts 
to direct us in other matters, comes to exhort us 
to be bountiful and liberal, in diftribuiing to the 
of others what God haft blefled us with- 
al. 



Univerfal Reft oration. ^Qt 

al ; faying, " Cart thy bread upon the waters ; for 
thou (halt find it after many days. Give a portion, 
to feven, and alfo to eight; for thou knoweft not 
what evil {hall be upon the earth. If the clouds 
be full of rain, they empty themfelves upon the- 
earth ; and if the tree fall towards the fouth, or to- 
ward the north ; in the place where the tree fall? 
eth, there it fhall be." Thereby intimating to us* 
that as certainly as thefe plain common obferva- 
tions are true, (than which nothing can be more 
fo) fhall they who befrow liberally upon the poor 
and needy, be rewarded ; fince God has promifed, 
and he will perform : See, upon this fubject, Deut. 
xv. l'O, 11. — Pfal. xli. i, 2 ; 3. cxii. — Prov. xi. 24, 
S**j, 26. xiv. 31. xix. 17. xxii. o. — -St. Mauh. vi, 3*. 
4, x. 42. — St. Luke vi. 38. xii, 33. xiv. 12. 13, 
14. — 2 Gor viii. 9. — 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19 — and 
many other places. 

Solomon then goes on upon the fame fubject, and 
intimates to us, bv two ft r iking metaphors, that if 
we wait till no difficulties appear in our way to 
hinder us from performing our duty, we fhall never 
reap the ble fling ; and after giving us to under-, 
ftand that God has many fecret ways of working! 
far above ^our compreheniion, and can therefore 
blefs and "reward us in many ways out of our own 
fight, or the view of others, and yet no lefs cer- 
tainly than children are conceived, nourifhed, and 
receive life in the womb, though we know not 
how ; he comes to give us a warm and pre fling 
exhortation, to be con flam in doing good to all, 
according to our power ; and to be fo far from 
concluding that to be loft that we thus be-, 
flow, that we ought to confider alms as feed, 
fown in a fruitful foil, and fhould, with patU 
ence, wait for the glorious harveft, when, through 



202 



Dialogues en the 



the divine blefling, we may expeft to reap an hun- 
dred fold. 

All this is plain and eafy : But how .any text in 
this beautiful chain, fhould ever have been thought 
to have any allufion to the ftate of fouls departed, 
or brought as a proof that no alteration can take 
place after death, I cannot conceive. But, allow- 
ing it to have any relation at all to a future ftate^ 
it cannot then in the leaft difapprove, that very ma- 
terial changes may happen to fouls in the fpiritual 
world ; fince a tree cut down by its owner, lies 
not long in the fame pofition in which it falls, but 
is applied to various ufes, according to its fitnefs 
and his pleafure. But as this is nothing to the 
purpofe, I think I have taken too much pains here 
already ; and I {houid have faid little or nothing, 
upon this part of the objection, were it not con- 
tinually urged, as though the whole controverfy 
turned and terminated upon this allufion, than 
which nothing feems farther from the meaning 
of the text ; which, in its true fen-fe, appears to 
be this — That as certainly as full clouds murl 
empty themfelves upon the terraqueous globe, and 
that every thing is what it is, and where it is, and 
no where elfe ; and as a tree falling to the fouth, 
does not fail and lie to the north ; and, vice verfa^ 
fo, with the fame certainty, fhall liberality be bleft 
and rewarded. 

Friend, I have nothing to obje£t to what you 
have faid upon the text ; it appears natural. I 
formerly thought it intended, that as perfons were 
laid in the grave, fo tfey ihould rife, and that there 
could be no change after death; but I am fully 
convinced, that this belongs not to the fubject. 
JJut there is another paffage, in the book of Eccie- 



Univerfal Rtjlorativn* 203 



fiaftes, (chap. ix. 4, 5, 6.) that I fhould be glad 

to hear your opinion of : " For to hirn that is 

joined to all the living, there is hope ; for a living 
dog is better than a dead lion. For the living 
know, that they mull die ; but the dead know not 
any thing, neither have they any more a reward ; 
lor the momory of them is forgotten. Alfo, 
their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is 
now perifhed ; neither have they any more a por- 
tion for ever, in any thing that is done under the 
fun.'; 

Minijler. It is evident that the wife man, in this 
and many other of his obfervations, only confider- 
ed things with refpeft to the prefent life, without 
any regard to a future ftate. In this view, his de- 
clarations are confiftent with truth ; but in no 
other. Let the following ferve as a fpecimen : — 
" No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all 
that is before them. Al! things come alike to all ; 
there is one event to the righteous and to the wick- 
ed ; to the good, and to the clean, and to the un- 
clean ; to him that facrificeth, and to him that fa- 
crificeth not ; as is the good, fo is the finner ; and 
he that fweareth, as he that feareth an oath," ver. 

I, 2. Nothing could poffibly be more faife than 

thefe obfervations, applied to a future fiate, though 
they are generally true in this life ; for if there 
are no future rewards and punifhmems, no ftate of 
retribution hereafter, there is an end to ?!! re- 
ligion. But he does not finally leave the matter fo ; 
but makes a moft excellent conclufion to this book ; 
faying — 

" Let us hear the conclufion of the whole mau 
ter : Fear (or revere) God, and keep his command- 
ments ; for this is the whole duty of man. For 

God 



'Dialogues on the 



God fhall bring every work into judgment, with 
^every fecret thing whether it be good, or whether 
it be evil, chap. xii. 13, 14. 

Thus, it is plain, that a living dog is better 
(more ufeful in this world) than a dead lion ; 
which is no longer capable of doing good or evil ; 
that a man, when he dies, lofes all hopes of en- 
joyment in this life, and is rendered incapable of 
exercifing the functions of k any longer; has no 
more a portion in any thing belonging thereto. 
Thus, in fine, all the obfervations that can be fairly 
made, upon this and fimilar paffages, belong en- 
tirely to the prefent (fate of things ; and, there- 
fore, do not at all affeft the argument, either one 
way or the other. 

Friend. This is fo plain, that nothing can be 
more f o ; but our Savior's words (St. John ix 4.) 
deferve a particular consideration : — 11 1 muft work 
the works of him that fent me, while it is day ; the 
night cometh, when no man can work — which 
is explained commonly of the night of death, when 
no more works can he wrought. 

Mimjter. Our Lord was diligent in his labor ; 
he conftantly went about doing good : he was nev- 
er idle ; he was in hafle, till he had finifhed the 
work which his father had given him to da. In 
this he^ was — as in every thing elfe — =a glorious 
pattern and example for us ! And, O that we might 
follow him ! — Now we may feed the hungry, give 
drink to the uhirily, clothe the naked, be eyes to 
the blind, feet to the lame ; may take in the Grang- 
er, relieve the diftrefled, vifit the fick, the father- 
lefs, widows, and prisoners in their affliction ; may 
bury the dead — and conftantly perform works of 
benevolence and mercy, while we remain in this 

ftate 



Univerfal Rejloralicn, 205 

ftate of dur exiftence ; which if we here neglefr, 
we never can perform at ail, and of conference, 
never obtain the rewards which are prom i fed to 
the obedient ; but as it is not the ftate of rewards 
and punifliments that we are now difeourfing about, 
but a Hate beyond — even the Reftoration of all 
things ; neither is the difpute about what men can 
do after this life, but what God can do, or what 
he has purpo-fed to do with and for them, in the 
ages to come, after the dreadful fentence is pail ; 
whether they fha!l be left under the fame, while 
God exijis ; or whether they {hail ever be reitored ; 
or whether they fhail be annihilated ; this, you 
know, is the ftate of the queftion ; fome hold the 
f rjl y and others the lajl ; but I am apt to think both 
thefe opinions are extremes, and therefore judge it 
fafeft to maintain the Jecond ) which I take to be the 
medium here. 

Friend. Indeed I am convinced, that no circum- 
fiance preceding the general judgment, can affe6i 
the argument ; becaufe we are informed, that the 
•condemnation of the wicked fhall be at that day ; 
then God will render to them according to their 
deeds, and will fay to them, Depart Jrom me, &C. 
— But the following texts of Scripture formaftrong 
objection to the univerfal Reftoration, which I would 
with you well to confider. 

" The expectation of the wicked mail perifh ; 
and the hypocrite's hope (hall periih : Whofe 
hope (hall be cut off, and whofe truft fhall he a 
fpider's web. He fhall lean upon his houfe, but 
it {hall not ftand ; he (hall hold it faft, but it fhall 
not endure. The heaven mail reveal his iniquity, 
and the earth fhall rife up again ft him. The eyes 
of the wicked (hall fail, and they fhall not efcape ; 

S and 



2 CO 



Diali^ucs on the 



and their hope fhail be as the giving up of the ghoft. 
His confidence, fiiall be rooted out of his taberna- 
cle, and it fhali bring him to the king of terrors, 
For what is the hope of the wicked, though he 
hath gained, when God taketh away his foul. 
Will God hear his cry, when trouble cometh up- 
on him p He that being often reproved, hardeneth 
his neck, fhali fuddenly be deftroyed, and that 
without remedy. When a wicked man dietb, his 
expeflatiori fhali perifii; and the hope of unjuft 
men perifeeth. Becaufe 1 have called, and ye have 
refufed ; I have Ihetched out my hand, and no man 
regarded : But ye have fet at nought all my coun- 
fcl, and would none of my reproof : I alfo w i 1 1 
laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your 
fear cometh : When your fear cometh as defola- 
tion, and your deftruclion cometh as a whirlwind ; 
when diflrefs and anguifii come upon you : Then 
mall they call upon me, but I will not anfwer ; 
they fhali feek me early, but they fhali not find 
me : For that they hated knowledge, and did not 
choofe the fear of Jehovah. They would none 
of my counfeL; they defpifed all my reproof. 
Therefore {hall they eat of the fruit of their own 
wav, and be filled with their own devices," Prov. 
x. 28. Job viii. 13, 14, 15. xx. 27. xi. 20. xviii. 
14. xxvii. 8, 9. Prov. xxix. 1. xi. 7. g. 24 — 31. 

Thefe, and abundance of other fimilar paffages, 
declare the future ftate of the w?cked to be defpe- 
rate, without hope ; they and their hopes perifii 
together, as the fpider*s web ; they have no hopes 
or profpeft- of being redeemed ; they can look for 
nothing but judgment and fiery indignation, which 
(hall devour them as ftubble fully dry, and as thorns 
cut up flu 11 they be burned in the fire. Solomon 



Vaiverfal Refioration. 20/ 

Fa'yi, $< The expectation of the wicked is wrath/' 
Prov. xi. 23. M As he loved curfing, fo CbaM it 
iomq unto him ; as he delighted not in blefii rig, fo 
(hall it be far from him. As he c loathed himfclf 
with puffing, like as with his garment ; fo fhall k 
come into his bowels like water, and like oil into 
his bones/ 5 Pfal. cix. 17, 18. Indeed he can have 
no hopes, when he coniiders- that he hath neglect- 
ed fo great a falvation all Ms life ; that he hath fet 
at nought God's counfels, defpifed his reproofs ; 
that when his Creator called to him to turn, he 
had no ears to hear his voice 5 and therefore, when 
forrow ihall overtake, though he may cry, he (hall 
not be regarded of God ; and though he may feek, 
he -hall not find ; the Mafter of the houfe .having 
rifen up, and flint to the .door, all knocking for 
entrance is in vain, even though fuch were to plead 
for admittance in the moft earneft manner, faying* 
" Lord, Lord, open to us he fhall anfwer, " I 
know you not whence you are and though they 
may reiterate, and expofiufate, faying, " We have 
eaten and drank in thy pretence, and thou haft 
taught in our ftreets he (hall not be moved, bar. 
(hall fay to them, 46 I tell you, I know you not 
whence you are ; depart horn rne, all ye workers 
of iniquity. There fhall be weeping, and gnafibiifg 
of teeth, when they fhall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, 
and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of 
God, and they themfelves thruft out," St. Luke 
xiii. 25, 26,27,^8. See alio St, Mauh.viu.2j, 

22, 2<$. XXV. 11, 12. 

Minifttr. Thefe are awful warnings, indeed ; 
and were they attended to as they ought to be, 
would be fufficiem, one would think, to deter men 
from their evil ways: lam glad that you have 

dated 



2o8 Dialogues on the 

ft&ted them in this raofl: llriking point of light \ 
for though they form no real objection to my views 
of Gob's dealing with men, as I underftand the 
Scriptures, they are an infuperable bar to the 
opinions of thofe who deny a future iiate of retri- 
bution, which I think impoffible for them to an- 
fwer fairly. I fliall, however, notice briefly, 
fome things in this collection of Scriptures, in or- 
der that my fentiments may appear in their true 
>ight. 

1. All the hopes cf the wicked, ungodly, and 
hypocrites, (hall perifh at their death. 

Perhaps they hoped to have lived long, to 
have enjoyed health, \v 7 ealth, pleafure, and ail 
worldly goGd, for many years ; to have {ten 
iheir children for many generations, flourifhing 
for a long time on earth ; but death deftroys thefe 
hopes. 

The hypocrites might have hoped that theyfhould 
have been accepted with God, on the account of 
their birth, parentage, proleiTion, rank among the 
people of God, observation of the externals of Te- 
iigion, &c. &c. all of which vain hopes do certain- 
ly perifh at death. 

The profane and wicked infidel, and practical 
athetft, might have hoped, either to have ceafed 
to exift, or to have found fome way of efcapingthe 
threatened punimment ; but death deftroys thefe 
hopes alfo. 

2. Whatever may be the Snal intention of God 
towaids thefe miferable creatures, it is evident 
tjhey are (but up in a ftate of keen tormenting 
defpair, or dreadful fufpenfe, and may be fully per- 
fuaded that they fhall never be releafed, of which it 
is likely they may riot have even the mo ft diftant 

hope. 



Univerfal Rejl oration* 209 



hope, or the leaft degree of knowledge — but, on the 
contrary, be in iearfulexpeftation of more terrible 
punifhment hereafter. 

3. As they have lived and died in fin, their des- 
truction, or mifery, is certain — and there is no rem- 
edy, that can prevent their experiencing the confe- 
quences of their crimes, and fuffering thejuft pun- 
ifihment which fhall be inflicted on them, according 
to their different deferts. 

4. They who liveand die in rebellion againfl: God, . 
will be eternally deprived of the glories and honors 
of the kingdom of Chrift, which other wife they 
might have po fife fled ; wall be excluded from a fhare 
in the firft refurrefiion, and w i 1 1 be expofed to fuf- 
fer the torments of the fecond death ; which all mil ft 
inevitably fufFer, who remain incorrigible till the 
great day' of judgment; 

5. As God hath called, and they have refufed, 
it is but reafonable to fuppofe, that they, in their 
turn, fhall cry in vain ; yet neverthelefs, though 
he may long delay, he may hear their cries, and 
deliver them at laftr See Pfal. cvii. 13, 14, 1,5, 
16. / 

David, in Pfalm xxxlvth fays, s 'The face of Je-, 
HO V ah is againfl: them that do evil, to cut oft the 
remembrance of them from the earth/ 5 Our tranf- 
lators not underftandirg, or net entertaining an 
idea of the future Relloration, add, " The rights 
eous cry, and Jehovah heareth, delivereth 
them out of all their troubles," Whereas the Ho- 
ly G ho 11 has put no fuch words as the righteous in- 
to the text there ; but after faying, that the face of 
Jehovah is againfl them that do evil, to deflroy 
them out of the world, and to make them forgot- 
im t m& their names to ceafe upon the earth, it adds , 
^J\2 a word 



131 



Dialogues cn the 



a word that fignifies crying, and then fays, " Arid 
Jehovah heareth, and delivereth them out of all 
their troubles See ver. 16, 37. This feems, in- 
deed, like the doftrine of the Bible, which elfe- 
v/here fays, fpeaking of the notorioufiy wicked ; 
f! 0 my God, make them like a wheel ; as the ftufo- 
foie before the wind. As the fire burnetii the wood t 
and as the flame fetteth the mountain on fire ; fo 
perfecute them with thy tempeli, and make them; 
afraid with thy ftorm. Fill their faces with fhame, 
that they may feek thy name, O Jehovah. Lea- 
thern be confounded, and troubled for ever ; yea, 
let them be put to fliame, and perifh. And they 
fhall know (as the Hebrew word fignifies, and as 
it is rendered in the old tranflation) " that thou, 
whofe name alone is Jehovah, art the MoftHigh 

overall the earth," Pfal. lxxxiii. 13 — 18 Here 

we fee, in a beautiful and clear manner, that one 
grand defign of God in bringing judgments, and 
even what is called Jitter deftrutiion. upon men, i& 
that they may know that he is Jehovah, the true 
God ; and there are but few intelligent Chriftians, 
but muft, in fome meafure, be able to conceive 
hopes concerning all thofe to whom the knowledge 
of God is promifed. 

Though the threatenings in the prophecy of- 
Ezekiel, both againfl the Jews and other nations, 
-are uncommonly fevere ; yet they frequently clofe 
with this gracious promife — "And they fhall know, 
that I am Jehovah"— or fomething fimilar ; as 
will evidently appear to thofe who wiJl be at the 
pains of examining the following paffages in that 
book. 

Ezekiel, vi. 7, 10, 13, 14. vii. 4, 9, 27. xju 10, 
12. m. 15, 16, 20. xii. 9, 14, 21, £3. xiv. 8, 



XV. 7. 



Univerfal Reftoraiion* &i§ 



7. xvi. 62. xx. 12, 20, 26, 38, 42,' 44,. 
xxii. 16. xxiii. 49. 'xxiv. 24, 27. xxv, 7, 1 1 9 
17, xxvi. 6. xxviii. 22, 23, 24, 26 xxix. 6, 9, 
j6, 21. xxx. 8, 19, 25, 26 xxxii. 15. xxxfil; 
29. xxxiv. 27. xxxv. 4, 9, 12, 15. xxxvi. 11, 
23, 38. xxxvii. 6, 13. xxxviii. 23-, xxxix. 6, 7;, 
22, 28. 

Friend. But does not punifltmeat harden and in- 
flame offenders, inftead of fattening and hum- 
bling them ? As we read, Ifa. viii. 21. i€ They (hall 
curfe their King and their God, and look up- 
ward and, in Rev. xvi. 9, 10, II. ' € And men 
were fcorched with great h@at, and blafphemed the* 
name of God, which hath power over thefe plagues ; 
and they repented not to give him glory. And 
they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blaf- 
phemed the God of Heaven, becaufe of their 
pains and their fores ; and repented not of their: 
deeds." 

Minijler. Punifhment, to a certain degree, in- 
flames and enrages, in a moll amazing manner; but* 
continued longer, and heavier, produces a contra- 
ry effe£i — foftens, humbles, and fubdues. When 
Ephrairn, of old, bemoaned himfelf, he faid thus r 
— " Thou haft chafiifed me, and I was challifed 3 
as a bullock unaccuflomed to the yoke ; turn thou 
me, and I fhall be turned ; for thou art Jehovah, 
my God," Jer. xxxi. 18. The metaphor here uf- 
ed, expreffes, in a mod lively manner, the different, 
effefls of the fame difcipline, in its beginning, 
progrefs, and end. When a bullock firft has the 
yoke laid on his neck, he frets, to ffes, and rages 
exceedingly ; but, by a continuance of the difci- 
pline, he is fubdued, brought down, humbled, 
a«d tamed, fo as to become the moft ufeful and 

gentle. 



mm Dialogues on the 

gentle of animals* The fons of Zion are repre- 
fented as lying " at the head of all the ftreets, as 
a wild bull in a net ; full of the fury of Jehovah, 
the rebuke of God," Ifai. li. 20. A wild bull, in 
a net, muft be a furious creature ; fo are men, 
when firft they are brought under the Divine cor- 
rection. But God knows how to correci men, in 
fuch a manner as to bring them to fubmit to him, 
in due time ; and though fome are fo funk in fin 
as not to oe reformed, by any means, in this life ; 
yet that is no argument, that God is not able to 
fubdue and bring down the proud and mo ft re- 
belious, in another ftate, by means that may be u£. 
ed effectually there, though they could not be ufed 
here. God fays, by the prophet to IfraeJ t " Be- 
caufe I have purged thee, and thou waft not purg- 
ed, thou (halt not be purged from thy filthinefs 
any more till I have caufed my fury to reft upon 
thee. So will I make my fury towards thee to reft, 
and my jealoufy (hall depart from thee ; and I will 
be quiet, and will be no more angry/' Ezek. xxiv. 
13. xvi. 42. Some fins are fo daring and prefump- 
tuous, as to provoke God to threaten, that they 
fhail not be purged away in this life ; and, perhaps, 
their malignancy may be fo great, that nothing that 
can be ufed here, is able to fubdue them : Thus, 
when God threatened his people, of old, with 
deftru&ion, they turned his threatenings into ridi- 
cule ; inftead of weeping, mourning, baldnefs, and 
girding with fackcloth, to which God called them; 
there was nothing but " joy and gladnefs 3 flaying 
oxen, and killing fheep, eating flelh and drinking 
wine: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we 
die. And it was revealed in mine ears, by Jeho- 
vah of Hefts, Surely, this iniquity (hall not be 

purged 



Univerjai Reft oration* fii3 

purged from you till ye die, faith Jehovah, God 
of Ifraei," Ifai. xxii. 12, 13, 14. 

Thus, punifhments are defigned for the hum- 
bling of the proud ; but it they fail of anfwering 
thatpurpofe, as adminiftered in the prefent ftate, 
they will be continued and increafed in future pe- 
riods, to fuch a degree, as thai t bring all down in 
due time. Thofe pains which produced that rage 
and biafphemy which you mentioned, were all 
poured out on hardened finners in the prefent life ; 
and were fo' terrible and fevere as to produce thofe 
fearful effects, but not fufficiently fo as to produce 
the contrary. 

That punifhment, to a certain degree, produces 
rage, but to a certain degree beyond, produces 
iubrnifhon ; may be iilufirated by the follow* 
ing fatl, as well as many others, of the fame na- 
ture. 

In the former war between England and France^ 

•fnere was one Mr. — — , of Virginia, 

who was waggon mafter general in the army of 
th? Provincials. He was guilty of abufing his 
power, by frequently finking the foldiers with his 
waggon whip. Complaint being made, a court 
martial was held, and he was fentenced to receive 
five hundred lafhes ; which fentence was executed 
upon him. When firfl he began to feel the lafh, 
he was exceedingly enraged, and curfed thofe who 
had thus fentenced him ; fwearing, that if he lived 
to be releafed, he would kill them all, if poflible ; 
for that he valued not his life, in the leaft, but 
would revenge this difgrace, by killing them, 
wherever he found them ; and much more, to the 
fame purpofe. But, before he had received half 
his puniihrnent/he declared 3 that he had not the 



Dialogues on the 



leaf! difpofuion to lift his hand againfl; them ; he 
faw clearly that they had acted right ; that he had 
been entirely to blame ; and that his punifhment 
wasjuft. After his corre&ion was over, he was 
led quietly away, entirely cured of all his rage ; 
from w r hich he was as much freed by his punifh- 
ment, as ever an efFefi was produced by a caufe. 
He was healed of his wounds, and, I think, reftor- 
ed to his poft. — Some time after the war was over, 
he was palling one day over thofe mountains in 
Virginia, commonly called The Blue Ridge ; and 
there he met alone one of the men who had con- 
demned him, in the court martial, to fuch a pun- 
ifnment. He put him in mind of it ; and told 
him, that it was now in his povver to reialiate up- 
on him. The other acknowledged that he was in 

his power ; but added, u M , you know you 

did wrong, and deferved the punifhment you re- 
ceived ; and if you kill me, 1 declare, that we did 
right in fer,tencing you to be whipped ; I fhould do 
the fame, were it to do again ; and fo would you 

have done, had you been in my place. " Mr. M . 

acknowledged the truth of it ; and was fo far from 
fulfilling his threatenings, that he fufTered him to 
go in peace, highly commending him for his con- 

duel:. Mr. M- may be Mill living ; he was a 

general in the American army during the late war, 
and acquired great honor, for his valor and good 
conduct. 

This I think is an argument ad hominem. I have 
ohen obferved inftances of the fame nature, in a 
iefs degree ; and 1 think it muft be admitted, that 
although a certain degree of punifhment will en- 
flame, harden, and enrage ; yet, farther degrees 
produce quite contrary effefts. Nor is punifh- 



Ummrfal Rejxoration* 2*5 



went the only thing in nature that produces con-> 
trary efTe£ls, according to the quantity ufed ; al- 
moft all things do the fame. Thus, water, with a 
little fait in it, will caufe putrefaction, much foon- 
er than perfectly frefh water: but let it be faturatr 
ed with fait, and it will prefer ve bodies that are 
carl therein. A little fait carl on the earth is 
good manure, and caufes fruitfulnefs ; but a great- 
er quantity produces the contrary effeft, by cauf- 
ing barrennefs. A little wine refrefhes, cheers, 
invigorates ; but, taken to excefs, (lupines and in- 
toxicates. And, to mention no more infiances, a 
little fmattering of knowledge puffs up the mind ; 
but a greater degree, humbles and brings it down ; 
From whence, 

" Drink deep, or never tajle the fpring" 

Friend. But let meafk you ; When you view the 
miferable ftate of fallen men, the inveterate obftU 
nacy of their wills, the total averfion that many 
have to God 4 and goodnefs, their confirmed habits 
of evil, their amazing love of vice, their oppofi- 
tion to every method taken to reclaim them, and 
a thoufand other dreadful circumftances, which 
you mult have obferved ; are you not ready to def- 
pair of their recovery ? not for any want of good- 
nefs in God, but through their total incapacity of 
ever being made better. 

Minijier. I muff confefs, this objection has great 
weight ; and I have often been ready to give up 
1 my own falvation. on account of the evils of my 
own heart, which fomeumes rife, and prevail in 
fuch a manner, as almoll drives ne to defpair ; 
and I can find no relief, b:it by flymg to Jefus^ as 

rny 



I 



t\6 Dialogues cn the 



my only refuge, and trultfhg in his promifes : And 
the cafe is the fame with reipett to the Reftoration 
of all men. My weak reafon tells me, that it can- 
not be ; that it is ab felinely impoflible, that fuch 
hardened rebels can be fo changed to eternity, as 
to become willing and obedient fubjefts ; but when 
iaith prevails, it informs me, that the things 
which are impoflible with men, are poffible with 
God ; that nothing is too hard for Jehovah ; and 
that he hath faid — " Behold I am Jehovah, the 
the God of all ffefh ; is there any thing too hard 
for me ?" Jer. xxxii. 27. And the example of 
Abraham has often proved a great fupport to me 
in this cafe ; " who, agaitifl hope, believed in hope, 
that he might become the father of many nations ; 
according to that which was fpoken-, So (hail thy 
feed be ; and being not weak in faith, he ccnfid- 
ered not" the impediments, which, to the eve ot 
reafon, rendered the accomplishment of the prom- 
ifes improbable, if not impoflible. " He dag- 
gered hot at the promife of God, through unbe- 
lief ; but was firong in faith, giving glory to 
God : And being fullv perfuaded that what he 
had prom i fed, he was able aifo to perform," Rom, 
iv. 18, 19, 20. 2 1. 

This is the only way I anfwer this objeftion to 
my own fatisfaclion — God hath fv/orn, that to him 
every knee fhali bow, every tangiic (hall fwear, 
Ifai. x4v. 24. — That in the name of J'Jus, every 
Jcnee fhall bow, of things in heaven, things on 
e3rth, and things under the earth ; and that every 
tongue fliaH confefs, that Jtfus Chnjl is Lord, to 
the glory ot God the Father^ Phil. ii. 10, 11. That 
it is the my fiery of his will, according^ to his good 

p leaf ure 



Vniverfal Reftoraiicn. 21J 



tfieafure, which he hath purpofed in himfelf, in 
the difpenfation of the fulnefs of the times, to gath- 
er together, or rehead, in one, all things in Chrijl ; 
both which are in heaven, and which are on eanh ; 
even in him, Ephef. i. 9, 10 — And having made 
peace through the blood of his crofs, he is deter- 
mined to reconcite all things unto himfelf ; wheth- 
er things in heaven, or things on earth, Col. i- 
20. — That he worketh all things after the coun- 
iei of his own will, Ephef. i. 11. — That he will 
have all men to be faved, or reftored, and to come 
unto the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 6. — 
That the Father loveih the Son, and hath given 
all things into his hands, St. John iii. 35, — And 
that Chrijl hath faid, "All that the Father giveth 
me, fhall come unto me ; and him that cometh 
unto me, I will in no wife caft out,' ? St. John vi. 
37. — When 1 confider thefe, and many fuch like 
promifes, which 1 find in the Scriptures ; and that 
he that hath promifed, is able to perform ; hath 
wifdom, power, and goodnefs, fufficient to ac 
compliih all his words, how difficult or impoffible 
foever the matter may feem, to our carnal, vain, 
and weak reafoning ; 1 call the whole of my con- 
cern upon him ; judging, that he is faithful who 
hath promifed, and that, in his own time he will 
fulfil all his purpofes, and all his promifes. But 
I confefs to you, that it requires a faith, if poffi- 
ble, more ftrong than that of Abraham, to believe 
the doctrine of the Reltoration ftedfaitly, in the 
midft of fo much evil as prevails in the world, and 
which feems to render it impoffible : But my only 
hope is in God. 

But, to encourage us the more, there are not 
only promifes of what God will do, but examples 
T of 



128 



Dialogues on the 



of what he hath done, recorded in Scripture, as 
the cafes of Manaffeh, Nebuchadnezzar, Mary Mag* 
da/en, Saul, and many ot the murderers of our 
Lord, priefts, and even Pharifees s are left on re- 
cord, as patterns of God's longfuffering, power, 
mercy, and love.-^-And I would advife thofe Chrif- 
tians that doubt of the Univerfal Reconciliation of 
all things, to remember St. Paul's words to the 
Colofiians, on this fubje£r, chap. L 21, " And 
you that were fome time alienated, and enemies 
in your mind, by wicked works, yet now hath he 
reconciled as a proof and example of his power 
to reconcile all things. Let all remember their 
own ftubbornnefs ; and then, inftead of reviling 
and deriding a truth which God has revealed, 
they will adore him, of whom, through whom, 
and to whom, are all things ; who " doeth accords 
ing to his will in the army of heaven, and among 
the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can ftay 
his hand, or fay unto him, What doeft thou ?" 
Rom. xi. 36. Dan. iv. gj. 

Friend, But allowing that God has power to 
change the hearts of the vileft of men, is not the 
exercife of that power evidently limited ? For I find 
it written in Rev. xxYu II, — '? He that is unjuft, 
let him be unjuft full ; and he that is filthy, let 
him be filthy ftill ; and he that is righteous, let 
him be righteous ftill ; and he that is holy, let 
him be holy ftill." By thefe words it feerus to 
be intimated, that the characters of both the 
wicked and the righteous, {hall at fome period be 
fo confirmed and fixed, as to admit of no change 
or alteration. 

Minijier. This appears to be a confiderable dif- 
ficulty, but can by no means overthrow the fyftem 

of 



Vniverfui Reftoration. 2ig 



t>f the Reftoration, which feerns eftablifTied upon 
many gracious promifes. The words feem to re- 
fer to a particular period, even when the Lord 
fhall come, and (hew that his coming will not, (as 
fome fuppofe) change the charafters of men ; but 
that all fhall continue, for a certain time, in th$ 
fame chara&er as before. But, though " he that 
is unjuft, fhall be unjuft itill ; and he that is filthy, 
{hall be filthy ftlll' 5 — during the age of judg* 
inent ; and fhall have the dreadful curfe pronounc- 
ed upon him ; for, "If any man love not the 
Lord Jefus Chriir, let him be anathema^ Mararu 
atha; that is, Ac cur fed, the Lord cometh : I Cor, 
xvi. 22. Yet I triift that I have proved, thai 
the vilefl fhall be finally changed ■ and consequent- 
Jy, that thefe words mul be underftoqd with 
fome limitation. And thus though this text is 
plainly contrary to the opinion of thofe who fup- 
pofe that all the human race mall be admitted in- 
to the kingdom of heaven at the day of judgment, 
yet it may be well reconciled to the f) flefri laid 
down in thefe Dialogues ; efpecially if is; can be 
proved that fimilar exprefiions are ufed, where a 
limitation is fuppofed, or neceffarily implied. 

Friend. Yes; if you can find fimilar expreffions 
nfed for limited times, it will be fatisfaflory. 

Minifter. St. Paul fays, I Cor. xiv. 38. " But 
if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant 
But we can hardly fuppofe that he meant without 
limitation. So we read of tiie Jews, that " God 
hath given them the fpirit of (lumber ; eyes that 
they fhould not fee, and ears that they fhould 

not hear, unto this day." And David faith ; 

*' Let their table be made a fnare, and a trap, and 
a ftumblingblock, and a reccmpenfe unto them. 

Let 



S23 



Dialogues cn the 



Let their eyes be darkened that they fhould nci 
fee, and bow down their back alway," Rom. xu 
8,9, io, Thefe expreflions of their remaining 
in a blinded, hardened, and reprobate flate, are 
ilronger than thofe — " He that is unjuit let him be 
unjuft ftill, &c. for, inilead of Jiill 9 the word al- 
way is ufed ; and yet we are informed, that this 
" biindnefs in part has (only) happened to IfraeJ, 
until the fulnefs of the Gentiles be come in : And 
fo all Ifrael ball be fayed." And that " God hath 
concluded them all ( or, fhut them up together) in 
unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all," 
even all whom he had fhut up, or concluded in 
unbelief. And, as I obferved before, David fays; 
" Fill their faces with fhame, that they may feek 
thy name, O Jehovah. Let them be confounded 
and troubled for ever ; yea, let them be put to fhame, 
and perifh : That they may know that thou whofe 
name alone is Jehovah, art the Moft High over 
ail the earth," Ffal. ixxxiii. 16. 17, 18. Many 
other fimilar pafTages might be mentioned ; but 
thefe may fufftce, to mew, that often where the 
words Let it, or Let them be, in fuch and fuch a 
flate, they only intend a certain period, until anoth- 
er difpenfadon takes place. As for righteouf- 
nefs, holinefs, and happinefs, they have quite a 
different foundation from fin and impurity, as I 
have {hewn before ; and therefore, no arguments 
ufed in favor of the total deflruftion of evil, can, 
in the leaf!, prove, th^u goodnefs, which is the Di- 
vine effence, (hall ceaie ; but the contrary ; and 
ihofe who are firmly joined to the Lord, and have 
continued with him through the ft ate of temptation, 
fhall never ceafe to be righteous, nor be feparated 
uom their Head, from whom they mail derive 

eternal 



Univerfal Rejtoration. 



221 



eternal life ; for Christ hath faid, "Becaufel 
live, ye fhall live aifo." St. John xiv. 19. 

Christ, at his coming, will bring every hidden 
thing to light, and fhall take off all dtfguifes ; fo 
that he that is unjuft, fhall appear unjuft ; and he 
that is filthy, fhall be difcovered ; hypocrify 111 a 1 1 
be no more. <k The vile perfon fhall be no more 
called liberal, nor the churl faid to be bountiful, '* 
Ifai. xxxii. 5. " Then fhall ye return, and difcera 
between the righteous and the wicked ; and be* 
tween him that ferveth God, and him that fcrv- 
eth him noi, 5> MaL iii. 18. The judgment of God 
is according to truth, and is defigned to make an 
entire difcovery of all perfons, and all fecret 
things, %i that every mouth may be flopped, and 
all the world may become guilty before God/* 
Rom. iii. 19. But though judgment has its great 
ufe in discovering, laying open, convincing, 
and condemning ; and punifhment in deftroying, 
fubduing, and humbling ; yet the powerful, fav- 
ing grace of Gor>, and the operation of the di- 
vine Spirit^ mu ft have the glory of refloring, or 
creating men anew; and the blood of Jesus mull- 
cleanfe their fouls from the guilt and pollution of 
fin. Evil muft be deftroyed out of them ; this is 
done by affiiftions ; and goodnefs muft be reftor- 
ed ; this is done by God's renewing power and 
grace* 

But the objection may be anAvered another way,, 
without any of this reafoning by confidering the 
fubje£l comparatively. Thus : As God only is 
holy ; as none are good but he, in an abfolute 
fenfe ; as heputteth no trufi: in his holy ones, and 
the heavens are not clean in his fight, and his an- 
gels he charged with folly ; (See Job xv. iv„ 
£T 2 18.) 



£22 



Dialogues on the 



l8.) and as all intelligences, compared with him* 
are unjuft and unclean ; fo, thofe who have lived 
and died in rebellion again ft God, and in the poU 
Union of fin, may remain unjufl and filthy, com- 
pared with the faints, thofe veffels of honor and 
glory, who have purged themfelves. u But in a 
great houfe there are not only veffels of gold and 
illver, but alio of wood, and of earth ; and fome 
to honor and fome to difhonor. If a man, there- 
fore, purge him f elf from thefe (fins) he (hall 
be a veffel of honor, fanftified and meet for the 
mailer's ufe, and prepared unto every good work," 
2 Tim, ii. 20, 21. Here we may obferve, that in 
our Lord's great houfe there (hall be divers veffels 
or various kinds, yet all ufeful, but fome more 
highly fo than others ; that honor and difhonor 
are comparative terms ; and that the way to be- 
come veffels of the higheft honor at laft, is to 
purge ourfelves from iniquity while on earth, by 
obeying the truth. Tor it muff appear evident, 
from the nature of things, that there will always 
be an immenfe difference between thofe who fhall 
he kings and priefis to God, and thofe who fhall 
be fubdued in the ages to come, fo as to be fub- 
jects, but who {hall not attain to that honor and 
glory, which they fhall have who fuffer with 
Chrift here, and fhall be glorified with him here- 
after. 

Friend, Since I have converfed with you I mud 
acknowledge that many things have appeared in 
a different light from what they did before ; and 
if 1 do not wholly embrace the doflrine of the 
Rcftoration, I muff allow thai there is much more 
lo be faid for it than I could have imagined. But 
I hsve ftill fome difficulties that I wiih to propofe^ 

Tkers 




There is a terrible threatening, which is indeed 
the laft in the Bible, that I fhould be glad to hear 



man, that heareth the words ok the prophecy of 
this book : If any man (hall add unto thefe things,. 
God fhall add unto him the plagues that are writ- 
ten in this book : And if any man flialJ take away 
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God 
fhall take away his part out of the book of life, 
and out of the holy city, and from the things 
which are written in this book :" But I can almoft 
forefee how you will anfwer this ; that though the 
plagues that are written in this book, (hall be ad- 
ded, yet mercy fhall finally rejoice againfi judg- 
ment ; and though a man's part may be taken out 
of the book of life, and he, in confequence, fuf- 
fer the torments of the fecond death ; yet, as the 
time will come, when there fhall be no more death: 
pf any kind, neither forrow, nor crying, nor any 
more pain ; his Refioration may be certainly in- 
ferred ; and though his part in the heavenly city 
may be forfeited, fo that he may never become 
one of thofe who fhall reign therein, nor yet have 
a confiant dwelling there ; he may, neverthe ] efs, 
enter as a worfhipper, and a fubjeft of the great 
King ; and may drink of the water of life ; feed 
on the fruits' ©f the tree of life, and be healed 
by its leaves ; and be one oi the hapjpy inhabitants 
of the new earth, which God will create. 

Minijier. Yes, my friend : But though this 
Scripture may be eafily reconciled to the plan laid 
down in thefe dialogues ; it contains fuch threat- 
enings as are very terrible indeed ; and mould make 
us exceeding careful not to contradi£l what God 




hatk 



Dialogues on the 



hath here revealed, by adding vain interpretations 
of our own, contrary to the fenfe of the text ; nor 
in any wife to explain away, or weaken, the force 
of either the threatenings or promifes, fet forth in 
this wondrous book, The amazing torments 
which they fliall feel that have thefe plagues ad- 
ded to them, and the dreadful lofs which they mall 
fuftain that have their part taken out of the book 
of life, and out of the holy city, cannot be even 
conceived ; And it being poffible to forfeit this 
glorious portion entirely, and for ever, made St. 
Paul warn the Hebrews in fuch a folemn manner 
as he doth throughout the whole epiftle — Oh, 
what affefting advice is the following ! — " Look- 
ing diligently, left any man fail of the grace of 
God : left any root of bitternefs, fpringing up 
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled : Left 
there be any fornicator, or profane perfon, as 
Efau ; who, for one morfel of meat, fold his birth- 
right. For ye know, how that afterward, when 
he would have inherited the blefiing, he was re- 
je£led; for he found no place of repentance, though 
he fought it carefully, with tears/' Heb. xii. ig± 
16, 17. 



« 1 Poor Efau repented too late, 

That once he his birthright defpif'd ; 

And fold for a morfel of meat, 

What could not too highly be priz'd, 



H How great was his anguifh, when toldj 
The blefiing he fought to obtain 

Was gone, with the birthright he fold % 
And none could xecal k again i 



Univerfal Rcfteratidn* 

Thus, though Efau, as well as Jacob, was blefled 
concerning things to come ; (See Heb. xi.20) yet 
the birthright, and the particular bleffings connect- 
ed therewith, he loft forever ; And fo it is poffible 
that we may lofe our parts in the holy city, or no 
fuch threatenings would ever have been made.— 
Por it is a maxim with me — That God never warns > 
where there is no danger to fear ; and never en- 
courages us to hope, where there is no poffibility of 
obtaining. 

As the glorious and univerfal deliverance all 
mea from the bondage of fin, and their obtaining 
an inheritance in the new earth* was clearly point- 
ed out by the great year of Jubilee, under the law ; 
in which every fervant went out free, and every 
man returned to his poffeffion, and to his family ; 
(See Lev. xxv. 10.) So, the poffibility of being 
cut off from the holy city, for ever, was pointed 

out by that notable exception, ver. 29, 30. 

48 And if a man fell a dwellinghoufe in a walled 
city, then he may redeem it within a whole year af- 
ter it is fold ; within a full year, may he redeem it. 
And if it be not redeemed within the fpace of a 
foil year, then the houfe that is in the walled city 
fha!l be eftahiifbed for ever to him that bought it, 
throughout his generations ; it ft all not go out in 
the Jubilee.' 3 

Something fimilar to this may#te found in Rev, 
iii. 1 I. — 44 Behold, I come quickly ; hold that faft 
which thou haft, that no man take thy crown 
And the £th verfe is alfo worthy of confederation 
— ~" He that overcometh, the fame fhall be clothed 
in white raiment ; and I will not blot out his 
name out of rhe book of life: but I will confefs 
Vi% name Ltfore my father, and before his an-. 



226 



Dialogues on the 



gels." — O, what promifes are made to overcom* 
ers ! That they (hall eat of the tree of life, which 
is in the midft of the Paradife of God ; fkall have 
a crown of life ; and {hail not be hurt of the fec- 
ond death ; fhall eat of the hidden manna ; fhall 
have a white ftone, and a new name, which no 
man knoweth, faving he that receiveth it ; fhall 
have power over the nations, &c. even as Chrifi re- 
ceived of the Father ; fhall walk with him in white • 
fhall be eftee/ned worthy to be companions and 
friends of God ; fhall be clothed in white ; (hall 
have their names enrolled among the followers of 
the Lamb, as called, chofen, and faithful ; fhall 
be confeffed by the Son of God, before his Father, 
and the holy angels ; fhall be made pillars in the 
temple of God, and fhall go no more out ; fhall 
have the name of God written upon their fore- 
heads, and the name of the holy city, New Jerufalem 
andChrift's new, heavenly name ; fhall fit with him 
upon his throne, even as he overcame, and is fet 
down with the Father, upon his throne ; fhall in- 
herit all things ; (hall be called the fons of God ; 
See Rev. ii. 7, 10, 11, 17, 26, 27. iii. 4, 5, 12, 21* 
xvii. 14 xxr. 7. 

The apofile ufTures us, that "If (we are) chil- 
dren, then (we are) heirs ; heirs of God, and 
joint heirs with Chrift ; if fo be that we fuffer 
with him. that we may be alfo glorified together. 5 ' 
And then adds — " For I reckon that the fuffer- 
Jogs of the pre fen t time, are not worthy to be 
compared with the glory which fhall be revealed 
in us/' Rom. viii. 17, 18. " When Chrifi, who is 
out life, fhall appear ; then fhall ye (his faints) 
alfo appear with him in glory," Coh iii. 4, " We 
know, that when he fhall appear, we fhall be like 

him 1 



Univerfal Reftoration* 227 



him ; for we fhall fee him as he is," 1 John iii. 2. 
But let none of thofe who believe themfelves the 
heirs of this kingdom, &c. dare to indulge themfelves 
in fin, under a notion that God can never call them 
off ; as fome do. 

A Preacher whom I once knew, encouraged this 
wickedly prefumptuous difpofition fo far, as, open- 
ly to fay : V God cannot damn me : He can as foon 
ceafe to be God, as he can call me off ; even 
though I fhould fin ever fo much. If 1 fliould 
kill a man, he could not damn me ; nay, if I fhould 
kill all the men in the world, he cannot damn me." 
>— This man was rigid in trifles, religioufly fcrupu- 
lous in frivolous things, fuch as drefs, &c* yet he 
made traffic of the human kind, engaged in war, 
and performed a£ls of cruelty and outrage with as 
little tendernefs as may be imagined ! He long 
bloated himfeif with the notion of God's peculiar 
favor — but, near the clofe of "his life, the difpleafure 
of the Almighty coming vifibly upon him, the rhap- 
fodijl changed his tone, and exclaimed, that God had 
for fa ken him ! 

I would advife ail men, of that bold, prefuming, 
felfconfident fpirit, to read and confider well thole 
words, in Jer. xxiL 24. " As I live, faith Jlho- 
VAH, though Coniah, the fon of Jehoiakim, king of 
Judah, were the fignet upon my right hand ; yet 
would I pluck thee thence.". 

Confider, firft, who fpeaks, Jehovah : He not 
only fpeaks, but he confirms his threatening with 
an oath ; and becaufe he could fwear by no great- 
er. he (ware by himfeif, by his own life ; " As I 
live, faith Jehovah, though Coniak, the fon of 
Jzhoiakim, king of Judah though he is of the fam. 
ily of David % with whom I have made an everlaft- 



Dialogues on the 



ing covenant, ordered in all things, and lure ; 
and though he is anointed king over my people ; I 
will not fpare him ; yea, though he •* were the fig- 
net upon my right hand ; yet would I pluck thee 
thence," Signets, upon the hands of ancient Per*, 
fian monarchs, were thofe feals with which their 
decrees were fealed and confirmed ; fo that no 
jnan could reverfe them. Now, God declares, that 
if this man was ever fo dear, and as neceffary, to 
him, as the fignet on the right hand of a king is 
to its owner ; that though he was not able to gov- 
ern his kingdom without his affi fiance ; though he 
had been the dearer! and mod ufeful thing ; he 
would entirely catt him off. for his tranfgreffions. 
And how much more fo, if it be confidered, that 
no man is neceffary to God ; that man cannot b« 
profitable to him ; that neither our wickednefs can 
hurt him, nor our righteoufnefs benefit him : (See 
Job xxii. 2, 3. xxxv. 6, 7, 8. Pfal. xvi. 2, 3) 
And that he threatens to punilh the only family 
that he had known on earth, for all their iniqui- 
ties, Amos iii. 2. What have not thofe to fear, 
who have been placed in high ftations, entrufted 
with precious treafures, great abilities, opportuni- 
ties, &c. and have abufed them ! — — Let fuch 
read, and ferioufly conlider, St. Luke xii, 42 — 
48. St. Matth. ;ixiv. 45 — 15. 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21, 
22. 

Friend. Thefe considerations are, on one hand, 
glorious and fublime, beyond conception ; and, 
on the other, terrible beyond defer iptioru But 
fome fay, That if they are only admitted into the 
kingdom of God, and are notcaft into the lake of 
fire, it is the highefl of their ambition ; that they 
never afpire to be kings and priefts ; nor to obtain 

a crown 



' Uniierfal Reftsration* 2$& 

a frown, throne, fceptre, &c. And others fay, That 
it they are ever, to all eternity, to be delivered from 
their mifery that it is a matter of little confequence 
to them whether they are followers of Cbriit here 5 
or not. 

Minijler. Thefe kind of reEeftions are frequent- 
ly thrown out by the enemies of the Refloration, 
to caft an odium upon the doftrine : But if they 
were to hear a man fay ; " It I am juft fuffered 
to enter into this kingdom, and am not condemn- 
ed as a rebel, it is all I wifh ; I defire neither the 
riches, honors, pleafures, conveniences, nor even 
the neceffaries, that many of the inhabitants en- 
joy ; all I afk is to be exempted from the pain and 
ihame of public punifhment And another was to 
add — " 1 can fee little or no difference between be- 
ing made heir apparent to the crown, poffeffing all 
the privileges, honors, dignities, &c. of a prince 
of the blood ; and being hanged, drawn, and quar- 
tered, for high treafon ; fince even the punimment, 
painful and fhameful as it is, muit come to an 
end I afk, Would they not efteem both thefe 
men in a flate of infanity, or worfe ; entirely de- 
void of all fenfe and reafon r Yet, this unreafona- 
tie language, is not worthy to be named in the 
fame day with that which you mentioned. The 
difference is fo great I cannot find language to ex* 
prefs it. I therefore confider all fuch perfons as 
madmen, with whom it is not worth while to rea« 
fen ; who underftand not what they fay, nor where- 
of they affirm. 

Friend. So they appear to me. But the fyflem 
you have laid down, appears equally calculated to 
check prefumption and defpair, and to cure all 
fach fpiritual madnefs ; provided that they will at- 
U tend 



^Dialogues on the 



.tend to it. — But, what will you fay to the doc- 
trine of annihilation ? That may not be liable to the 
fame objections as endlefs damnation ; and fo the 
wicked may be punifhed with everlajling deflruSion, 
and deftroyed, foul and body, in hell ; and yet, at 
laft, ail beings that are in exiftence may be made 
happy. The Scripture feems, in many places, to 
favor this idea ; and the works of nature feem to 
confirm it. For in fiance ; many fruits and ani- 
mals perifh, before they arrive at perfection ; and 
why may it not be fo with the fouls and bodies of 
men ? They ara no where faid to be raifedto incor- 
ruption, or immortality ; but to .be deilroyed, to be 
caft imo the lake of fixe, to be burnt up, root and 
branch ; to be confumed, devoured, burnt up as 
chaff, thorns, &c. I need not mention particular 
texts ; becaufe the general part of the threaten- 
ings in the Scriptures run in that liyle. And I 
have fometimes of late reafoned with myfelf, that 
the fecond death muil end either in the refloration 
on annihilation of thofe who were caft therein ; for 
there feemed fomething m endlefs mifery, that fur- 
paffed my belief, at times. But I could not fatisfy 
myfelf, whether the wicked would be finally ref- 
tored to fome degree of happinefs, or totally de- 
ftroyed ; and was apt to think the latter, as it feem- 
ed a ft range figure of fpcechtocall dejirutlion, Res- 
toration. — Pray, have you ever thought upon this 
matter ? 

Minijttr* There are but three poffible things 
that can befal thofe who are caft into the fecond 
death ; either endiefs mifery, total annihilation, or 
Refloration ; a fourth cannot be thought upon \ 
and but one of thefe can be true. Now. where 
there are only three poffibilities, of which only 

one 



XJniverfai Rejt oration. 



Sne can be true, and one mull be true ; there are 
tbefe two ways of difcovering the truth : Firft, if 
two of the propofnions are proved to be abfurd> 
the third muft ftand ; 2dly, if one be proved true^ 
the others muft fall to the ground of confe- 
quence. I have taken the fecond method ; and 
having fhewed that the doctrine of the Reftoration" 
is not abfurd, and therefore that it is true ; conse- 
quently, the others are falfe. — But, befides this 
way of arguing, there are three circum (lances 
which prove to my fatisfaelion, that annihilation is 
not a truth, 

1. That at the very time that the wicked are de- 
ftroyed, they are faid to be tormented with fire 
and brimftone ; and that they have no reft, day 
nor night ; and the continuance of this is for 
no fhort time, (as would probably be the cafe, 
if the intention of Gcd was only to deftroy thern 
out of being) but for the ;;ge of ages, Rev 7 , xiv. 
10, u, 

2. They are put to (hame and periih, that they 
may know the Lord ; as I have noticed before ; Sec 
Pfal. xxxiv. 16, tj* Ixxxiiw 16, 17, 18 — and the 
observations I have made upon tbefe paflages in the 
dialogues. 

3. But that on which I dare venture the whole 
caufe, is, that God hath abfolutely promifed to re~ 
ilore and bring again thofe whom he hath utterly 
de ftroyed, 

Friend: Can you prove that ? For if you can. it 
wall fettle the whole controverfy. 

Minifter* I truft i can, in many inftances : But 
I will fix upon one that is full to the purpofe, and 
unexceptionable ; and that is the cafe of Sodom r 
and -her daughters, Gomorrah\ Admak, and Zeboim ; 

who ? - 



Dialogues on the 



who, " giving themfelves over to fornication, and 
going after Orange flefh, are fet forth for an ex- 
ample, fu fieri ng the vengeance of eternal fire/ 5 
Jude 7, 

As they are fet forth for an example in their 
punifhment, fo alfo in their reiteration : For we 
may certainly argue, that if any of the human race 
fhall be annihilated, the inhabitants of Sodom, Go- 
morrah, &c. will be ; as they were condemned 
with an overthrow, and made an example to thofe 
who fhould after'live ungodly. 2 Pet. ii. 6. But 
thefe wicked nations fhall have their captavifcy re- 
turned ; fhall return to their former eftate ; and fhall 
be received by Jerufalem, as daughters in the ever- 
la fling covenant : Jerufalevi and her daughters, 
snore wicked themfelves, than Sodom and her daugh*- 
ters, {hall be refiored at the fame time ; fhall re- 
member their ways and be afhamed ; fhall never 
open mouth any more to glory over the meanefl of 
mankind ; when the great Jehovah fhall be paci- 
fied towards Jerufalem, for all that {he has done, 
and towards Sodom and Samaria, for all that they 
have done alfo, inafmuch as they fhall return 
from their long captivity, and be given to Je- 
rusalem for daughters : See Ezek. xvi. 53, 55, 6** 
63. 

Now, by Sodom and her daughters being re- 
turned from their long and dreadful captivity, we 
mull underfland one of three things; either, fir ft, 
the return of their defcendants ; or, fecondly, the 
reiteration of the land whereon the cities flood ; or, 
"airly, the reftoration of thofe very perfons who 
were deft royed. 

It cannot be the firft ; for there are none of their 
deicendaars remaining on earth ; all were deflroy^ 

ed 



Univerfal Rejloration. 233 

fire and brimftone ; none of the inhabitants 
efcaped, Lot and. his daughters excepted ; who were 
only fojourners, and were defcendants of Terah and 
relations to Abraham. 

As it cannot be the firft, let us try the fecond, 
A very ingenious gentleman fuppofes, that in the 
time of the Millenium, the Dead Sea ihall be turn- 
ed into land, and (hall again become a beautiful 
well watered plain, and be given to the pofterity 
of Abraham^ Ijaac and Jacob : For he argues, 
and feemingly very jtfftfy, that as j3-od promifed 
Abraham all- the land which he could fee from the 
place where he then flood ; (See Gen. xiii, 14, 15, 
16, 17) and as the plain of Sodom was in light, 
it was included in the grant ; and, though the Dead 
Sea now occupies the place where thofe cities 
flood ; yet God's promife cannot fait ; and, there-- 
fore, in the Millenium, the Dead Sea mail befwal- 
lowed up, and the place (hall become a fruitful 
plain. But whoever will read Ezek. xlvii. 8, 9, 
10, 1 1, may plainly fee, that the waters that ihali 
iffue out from under the threfhold of the holy, 
houfe, fhall be brought into the Dead Sea ; and ^ 
(hall fo heal thofe deadly waters, that they ihall 
become fruitful, and bring forth fifli in great abund- 
ance ; exceeding many, like the great lea, which is 
now called the Mediterranean ; which fiffi fhall be 
more ufeful for food, to the innumerable inhabit- 
ants that fhall then be in that happy country, than 
all the vegetables that would grow there, even 
ihougk the whole place was turned into a fruitful r 
garden. 

Friend. But are you certain, that by the Jea, is ~ 
nieant the Dead Sea, or Lake of Sodom ? 

fipr 2 Minifter, 




Dialogues on tKe- 



Minijier. Yes. r. Becaufe all the other waters 
in thofe parts, produce great plenty of excellent 
lifh ; and therefore, need not healing. 2. Be- 
caufe fifhers fhall Hand upon the banks of the fea> 
from Engedi even unto Eneglaim, places that are 
well known to be contiguous to the Dead Sea ; 
one of which is nearly at the northeaft corner, the 
other at the weft end of the fame, 3. The marines, 
and the miry places thereof, (hall not be healed ; 
but fhall he given to fait, as fpecimens of what 
the whole is at this time ; which barren and dead- 
ly fpots fhall remain, as Handing evidences of the 
truth of Scripture, and the exaft fulfilment of pro- 
phecy. 

Thus, as Sodom cannot be reftored in her pof- 
terity, there being none remaining on earth ; nei- 
ther fhall the Dead Sea be turned into land, in the 
Millenium ; it follows, as the only remaining fenfe 
of the return of Sodom's captivity, that thofe 
very inhabitants, who were deftroyed by fire and 
brimftone from heaven, fhall he reftored to a ftate 
of felicity : And thus, both the doctrine of anni~ 
kilation and endiefs damnation^ fall to the ground at 
once. 

Friend. But as it is the fecond death, after the 
day of judgment, that is to deftroy the bodies and 
fouls of the wicked in hell ; perhaps, the inhabit- 
ants of Sodom , Samaria, and Jcrufalem, may be re- 
ftored before that period, and may not be caft into 
the lake of fire, 

Minijier, li is evident by our Savior's words/ 
(for we muft not contradift any part of the Scrip- 
tures) that this will not be the cafe ; for he faith, 
That it fhall be more tolerable for the land (that is ^ 
ifee inhabitants) of Sodom, in the day of judgment^, 

tkm.i 



Umverfal Reft or at ton. 



than for the cities where his gofpei was preached, 
ani his miracles wrought, and yet the inhabitants 
remained impenitent : See St. Matth. xi. 24. x, 15, 
St. Mark, vi. 11. St. Luke, x, 12. From all which 
paflages it is evident, that the inhabitants of Sodom 
will be condemned in the day of judgment, and 
punilhed in the lake of fire ; and though their mif- 
ery will not be fo great as that of the inhabitants 
of the cities where our Savior preached, and per- 
formed his mighty works ; yet they will be misera- 
ble in that day ; and, confequently, the return of 
their captivity is not to be expected, till after the 
creation of the new earth. Therefore, it is plain, 
that the lake of fire is not defigned to annihilate 
thofe who are caft therein ; fince all - that are not 
found written in the book of life, at the day of 
judgment, will be caft into the lake of fire, They 
whofe names are in the book of life, will be happy,. 
The inhabitants of Sodom will be miferable, in fome 
degree; therefore, will not be found written in 
the book, of life; confequently, will be caft into 
the lake of fire. They will be reftored ; their 
captivity (hall be returned ; therefore the lake of 
fire fhall not annihilate them. They are fet forth 
for an example in their punifhment ; and confe- 
quently, in their Reftoration.= — I need not purfue 
this argument farther : It appears evident to me ; 
and, till it be fairly anfwered, I fhall add nothing 
more. 

Friend. I lately read a fermon written by one 

Mr. B — , in which the writer brings many 

ftrong reafons for the eternity of Hell torments, 
moft of which 'have already been mentioned and 
anfwered in thefe Dialogues ; but he makes ufe 
$f ©ne which has not yet been brought under 

OUT 



Dialogues en iker 



our confideration, which is, That the damned 
are under the neceffity of conftantly committing 
frefh fin, and therefore as they will always con- 
tinue to fia againft God, fo of neceffity their pun- 
ifh men t can never ceafe. Have you ever thought 
of this ? 

Minijler* Yes, I have frequently heard it men- 
tioned, but as it appears totally void of all foun- 
dation in the Scripture, it hardly deferves any no- 
tice. The obje&ions that I feel myfelf concerned 
to treat with ferioufnefs and refpeft, and candidly 
to anfwer, are thofe which appear to be drawn 
from the book of divine Revelation ; but if I tnuft 
attend to all thofe which the ingenuity of men 
might raife againft the do&rine of the Reftoration, 
I lhould not only have a very hard tafk, but fhould 
never know when I had done, and befides the dif- 
courfe would dwindle into trifling and conje£lures 9 
very unfuitable to the nature and importance of 
fuch an awful ferrous fubjefl. I mull obferve, 
that this objection is nothing but a rafh unground- 
ed affertion, or bold conje£lure, without the tea ft ' 
foundation either in Scripture or reafon, and if 1 
was to affert juft the contrary, I cannot fee why 
my affertion would not be a fufficient anfwer. Nev- 
erthelefs, left it fhould be thought that anv ob« 
jeftion can be railed-, that cannot be fairly anfwer- 
ed, and that I knowing the ffrength of this, would 
willingly evade it, 1 will fay a few words upon it, 
The Scriptures cniverfally hold forth the idea, that 
men will be judged, condemned, and punifhed ac- 
cording to the deeds done in the body. God will 
render to every man according to his deeds," Rom, 
ii. 6. " For we muft all appear before the judg- 
ment feat of Chrift, that every one may receive 



Univerjal Reftoraiion. 



237 



the things done in his body, according to that he 
hath done, whether it be good or bad," & Cor. v. 10. 

" And that fervant which knew his Lord's will, 
and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to 
his will, fhall be beaten with many ftripes ; but he 
that knew not, and did commit things worthy of 
ftripes, fhall be beaten with few ftripes," St. Luke, 
xii. 47, 48. Thefe, and all the paffages that fpeak 
of future punifhmsnt, conftantly hold it forth as 
a juft retribution for the evil deeds done in this 
life ; but never intimate any thing of what this ob- 
jection holds forth, of punifhment being continued 
ad infinitum for crimes committed hereafter. Be- 
fides, it is plain that punifhments or corrections 
are intended to flop men from finning, and under 
the divine agency to take away their fins. "By 
this therefore fhall the iniquity of Jacob be purg- 
ed ; and this is all the fruit to take away his fin," 
Ifai. xxvii. 9. This is univerfally allowed to be the 
defign of troubles and forrows in the prefent life, 
and why not in the next liate alfo ? the Scripture 
fays nothing to forbid this idea, but much to en- 
courage it ; particularly that awful paffage where 
the prophet fa}s, And it was revealed in mine 
ears by Jehovah of Hofts, Surely this iniquity 
fhall not be purged from you, till ye die, faith 
the Lord God ot hofts," Ifai. xxii. 14. If then 
iniquity fhall be purged away after death, it i& 
certain that men mall not always continue to fir* 
in a future ftate, for they mull ceafe to commit ini- 
quity, before it can be purged away. And though 
their, punifhments may at fir. ft caufe them to rage* 
(as we fee is frequently the cafe in this world) yet 
fliall they continue until the moft ftubborn fhall be 
entirely fubdu.ed and humbled. 

Friends 



Dialogues on the 



Friend. There is another argument of this fame 
kind, viz. that is not founded upon any particular 
text of Scripture, which is dire&ly contrary to 
the one you have been anfvvering, which I have 
formerly thought unanfwentble in favor of the 
doftrine of endlefs punifhment, which is the infi- 
nity of fin, being againft an infinite objeft, con- 
taining infinite hatefulnefs, and juft-ly therefore 
deferving infinite punifhment. Sin is a crime of 
infinite magnitude, becaufe God is a Being of in- 
finite majefly and perfeftion. Every crime juftly 
demerits punifhment proportioned to its malignity ! 
and confequently every offence againft God demer- 
its infinite punifhment. No mere Creature can 
ever fufferan infinity of punifhment in any limited 
duration. It follows therefore, that a- {inner de- 
ferves to be eternally punifhed. Farther, every 
man is under infinite obligations to devote him- 
felf to the fervice of God, his infinitely glo- 
rious Creator, Preserver and Benefa&or. To 
violate an infinite obligation is to commit a crime 
of infinite malignity. A crime ©f infinite 
malignity, deferves infinite punifhment. Can it 
ever be proved then that everlafting, or endlefs pun* 
\jliment is not the proper defert of a life of fin ? I 
have often faid, That this argument trite and com- 
mon as it is, never was, nor ever would be fairly 
anfwered : neverthelefs, I am willing to hear what 
you have to fay upon it. 

Minifler. As this argument is often urged, as of 
the greatefl weight, and as you have ftated it in its 
greateft poffible force, I fhall endeavor to anfvver it 
iairly, and particularly. 

If fin is infinite^ then we muft afcribe to it one 
of the perfections of the Deity, which" {Lrikes me 
as fomething abfurd, if not fomething worfe ; fin % 

a privation;. 



■Univerfal Reftoration. 



zfniation, an aEl of a worm, infinite ? Aftions 
mult, in my opinion take their denomination f¥om 
the actors, and not from the objefts. Infinite 
a&ions, or actions of infinite magnitude require 
infinite power to perform them. If fin is of in- 
finite magnitude, goodnefs is more fo, as deriving 
a power trom God to the performance of it. But 
if you grant that David fpoke in the name of the 
Mediator in Pfalm xvi. you may be at once furnifh.- 
ed with a proof, that even goodnefs, in the high- 
ell ftate in which it ever was exhibited in the 
world, was not confidered as of infinite magni- 
tude by the great performer. " Thou haft faid 
unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord ; my goodnefs 
extendeth not to thee. But to the faints that 
are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is 
all my delight," Ver. 2, 3. If acts of goodnefs 
were of infinite magnitude they muft extend to 
God, but the fpeaker, in thefe words, be he 
who he may, David or Chrift, was careful to 
let us know that he did not conceive his acts of 
goodnefs infinite. And if acts of goodnefs are 
not infinite, it would be highly abfurd to call 
evil actions infinite, which proceed wholly from 
the creature. 

I grant indeed that there is a paffage of Scrip- 
ture which mentions the word infinite as belonging 
to fin and iniquity, but then it is mentioned in 
fuch a connexion as fhews it to be ufed as Jofe- 
phus frequently mentions it, for a very great mul- 
titude. And thus it is ufed by many good authors, 
who certainly do not mean to ufe it in the firft and 
proper fenfe of the word. The Sacred W riter, in 
the paffage alluded to, takes particular care to 
guard us againft any fuch idea, as though fin was 



Dialogues on the 



©f infinite magnitude, or even virtuous and right- 
eous* aclions, which approach far nearer to infini- 
ty/ as having their fource from the fountain of in- 
finite goodnefs. For Eliphaz fays, " Can a man 
he profitable unto God, as he that is wife may be 
profitable unto himfelf ? Is it any pleafure to the 
Almighty, that thou art righteous ? Or is it gain 
to him that thou makeft thy ways perfect ? Will 
he reprove thee for fear of thee ? Will he enter 
with thee into judgment ? Is not thy wickednefs 
great ? Aad thine iniquities infinite ?" Job xxii 6 
2 — 5. And language very fimilar to the above is 
ufed by Elihu, " If thou finneft, what doeft thou 
againft him ? Or if thy tranfgrellions be multiplied, 
what doft thou unto him ? If thou be righteous, 
what gi veft thou him ? Or what recei veth he of thine 
hand ? Thy wickednefs fnay hurt a man as thou 
art, and thy righteoufnefs may profit the fon oi 
man," Job xxxv. 6, 7, S. 

Thefe expreffions, if they teach any thing, I 
fiiould think exprefsly declare, that no a&ions of 
men can by any means be of infinite magnitude, in 
the fenfe in which we commonly underftand that 
word ; though their numbers and magnitudes may 
be fo great as to be filled infinite, as the word is 
fometimes ufed. 

You aifert, in confequence of your ideas of in~ 
finite fin, that every offence againft God demerits 
infinite punifiiment. If the cafe be fo, does it not 
tend entirely to take away the diftin&ion which 
God hath made between fins of infirmity and fins 
of malice, fins of ignorance and fins of wilfulnefs, 
lefTer and greater fins ? All fins are offences againft 
God, and if every offence againft God is of infinite 
?mgnitnde l how can any be greater ? and thus the 

diflinclions 



Univzrjal Rejioratiofi* 241 



Sifiinclions are entirely deftroyed, and, all fins will 
be efteemed equal, contrary to- the whole tenor of 
the Scriptures. 

If every offence againft God demerits infinite 
-puniCiment, then it will follow, that God cannot 
render to any according to their ways, nor punifh 
them as their iniquities deferve, unlefs they are 
doomed to endlefs mifery ; what then will become 
of all thofe threatenings where God threatens to 
punifh people for all their iniquities, and yet to 
Shew favor to them afterwards ? This is impoffi- 
bie upon your plan, for none can ever receive ail 
the punithment due to their fins daring numberlefs 
-sges. Yet if the word of God be true, he can 
deal with tranfgreffors as they have done, and yet 
be gracious to them afterwards. " For thus faith 
Adonai Jehovah, 1 will even deal with thee as 
thou hall done, which haft defpifed the oath in 
breaking the covenant. Neverthelefs, I will re- 
member my covenant with thee in the days of thy 
youth, and I will eftablifli unto thee an ever lading 
covenant. — That thou mayeft remember and be 
confounded, and never open thy mouth any more 
becaufe of thy fhame, when 1 am pacified towards 
thee for ail that thou haft done, faith Adonai Je- 
hovah," Ezek. xvi. 59, 60, 63. 

Here is an inftance to the purpofe, of thofe 
whofe funs were of the deepeft die, and to whom 
God threatens to deal as they had done, and to 
punifh them for all their numerous and aggravated 
tranfgreffions, and yet to remember mercy for them 
afterwards, and to be pacified towards them for 
all that they had done. Ail which things would 
be abfolutely impcffible, according to your ideas. 
In many other parts of Scripture God promiies to 
W render 



Dialogues cn the 



render to tranfgreffors according to their works 
and ways, and yet to be afterwards gracious unto 
them. And in one place, at leafi, where God is 
declaring the great mercies which he will manifeft 
unto the children of Ifrael, in returning them to 
their own land, and caufing them to dwell fafely 
therein, he fays, " And firft, I will recompenfe 
their iniquity, and their fin double ; Becaufe they 
have defiled my land, they have filled mine inherit- 
ance with the carcafes of their deteftable and abom- 
inable things," Jer. xvu 18. What do you think 
oi this ? If every offence is of infinite magnitude, 
and deferves infinite punifhment, which can never 
be fully executed, then how can God punifh a 
people for all their iniquities, and do to the greateft 
finners as they have done % yea, and recompenfe 
their iniquity, and their fin double firft, and then 
be gracious to them, and love them, and be paci- 
fied towards them afterwards ? And the prophet 
Jfaiah fays, " Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, 
faith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jeru- 
falem', and cry unto her, that her warfare is accom- 
plished, that her iniquity is pardoned ; for ifie 
hath received of the Lord's hand double for 
all her sin s," Ifai. xl. I, 2. Here a fa£l is faid 
to be accomplifhed, which upon your fcheme can. 
never be done to all eternity ; for it every offence 
a gain ft God is of iniinite magnitude, and de- 
ferves infinite punifhment, none can ever have re- 
cqiv e&JZngU for one of their Jins, far lefs double 
for all. 

And therefore nothing can poffibly be more 
evidently contrary to Scripture than your trite and 
common argument, that as, every fin is of infi- 
nite magnitude, fo it juftly demerits infinite pun- 

ifhraent. 

,- # ■ ■'' • - 1 



Univtrfal Rejloralion. z.:^ 

ilhrnent, which as no mere creature can bear, muft 
ijeceiTarily fubjeQ all who are recompenfed accord- 
ing to their own doings to cndlefs mifery. 

Befides, If I was to grant you, contrary to 
Scripture, reafon, and common ferife, that every 
offence is of infinite magnitude, and naturally 
deferves infinite punifhment : How would you 
prove from that, the certainty of endlefs mifery ? 
Do you make nothing of the reconciliation which 
our Lord Jefus has made for all Jinners and fer 
mjSni f 

Let me afk you ferioufly, Did not Ghrift make 
a full and complete offering and propitiation for 
the fins cf the whole world ? Is it not certain that 
his merits were far greater than the demerits oi 
all mankind ? Is he not the Lamb of God, who 
taketh away the fin of the world ? If Chrift died 
for all men, without exception, as you grant, and 
removed all their iniquities, and bore them away, 
and reconciled all to God by his death while they 
were enemies ; much more as he has paid fo great 
a price for their ranforo, he will recover thern out 
of their loft eftate, and fave thern by his life. 
M Where fin abounded, grace did (or mail) much 
more abound.- That as fin hath reigned unto death, 
even fo might grace reign through righteoufnefs 
unto eternal Tife s - by Jefus Ghrift our Lord," Rom. 

V. 2 0, 21, 

I conclude, that let fin be ever fo great, the 
grace of God is greater ; and if you will have it 
that fin is of infinite magnitude^ I hope you will 
not deny the propitiation of Jefus Chrift, which 
he made for all fins, the fame character. There- 
fore if you magnify fin, and infill upon the great- 
vmfc of its demerit, I will endeavor to magnify 

the 



244 



Dialogues on the 



the all powerful Redeemer above it, and fpeak of 
his power to redeem all the human race, for whom 
he fhed his blood. And then you will gain noth- 
ing in favor of the doflrine of endlefs damna- 
tion, by all your arguments founded upon the 
'Infinity of fin : Chrift being far more infinite to 
fave ? than fin can be todeftroy; and as he has 
undertaken to redeem and bring back thofe who 
were loft, there is no danger of his failing to per- 
form it. 

Friend. I muft confefs that what you have faid 
on this head entirely convinces me, that we can- 
not found the eternity of punifhment, upon the 
infinity of fin ; and you have given me more fat- 
isfa&ion upon many points in thefe converfations 
than I ever expefted to receive. I am indeed at 
length almoft perfuaded to receive you fentiments, 
though I once thought thai it wa3 impoffible to 
anfwer all my objections, yet you have gone far 
towards it. Nay, I cannot at prefent recollect 
any thing material, but what you have anfwered. 
1 would not however be too hafty in adopting this 
fyftem, but alter your example coafider it well. 
But there is certainly fomething more grand, beau- 
tiful, and harmonious in this view than can be 
found in any other fcheme i for both the other 
fyfiems end in darknefs and black night, one ia 
endlefs damnation^ and the other in gloomy annihila- 
tion. But on your plan light rifes out of obfeuri- 
ty, and a glorious day fucceeds the darkeil fcenes*. 
Tbis view of things fets the Book of divine Reve- 
lation in the moll pleafing light, and appears, 
for aught any thing that I can fee, confiltent 
with the Divine perfections. But why, fmce you 
believe the univerfal Refloration, do you not men- 
tion 



Vniverfal Rtjloration 



2 45 



lion it more freely and fully, in your public dif- 
courfes ? 

Minijler. On the other hand, fome afk me, Why 
do you ever mention it at all in your fermons ; 
fince it is net effential to falvation to believe it ? 
To them I give thefe anfwers. 

1. St. Paul declared to Timothy, that this uni- 
verfal Gofpel of God's being the Savior, or Re« 
ftorer, of all men, but efpecially cf thofe that be- 
lieve, was a faithful faying, and worthy of all ac- 
ceptation ; and that they labored and fuffered re- 
proach, becaufe they trufied in God, as the univer- 
fal Savior. But he was fo far from being afnam- 
ed of this belief, that he faid to Timothy, " Thefe 
things command and teach," i Tim. iv. 9, 10, 11. 
And fo am I determined to do, at proper opportu- 
nities ; notwithftanding the reproach and contempt' 
awaiting me for fo doing. 

2. Though it is frequently faid to be a matter 
of little or no conflquence, if true ; yet, if it be 
any part of the record God hath given of his Son,= 
(as I think I have proved) we are in danger of 
making him a liar, if we believe it not : See 1 John 
v. 9, 10, 11. 

3. Though you may be Chriftians, and not be- 
lieve it ; yet I cannot ; though once 1 could alfo : 
But now the evidences of its truth appear fo plain : 
to my mind, that it would be criminal in me not 
to believe it ; and fince I do believe it, would it 
not be highly difhoneft in me to deny it ? 1 have 
never done fo yet, when afked ; and God forbid, 
that I fhould be afhamed to publifh, what he has^ 
commanded to be made known. 

4. I have commonly afted merelv on the de Fen- 
five, and 1 never (hould, that I know of, have 

2- pieached : 



Dialogues on tfie 



preached it in public, or but rarely, far lefs Have* 
written upon the fubjeft, had it not been repre- 
fented as a dangerous and deftruftive herefy ; and 
people been cautioned again ft hearing me, on that- 

account. 

5. I have been frequently defired to preach upon 
the fubje£t, exprefsly ; and could not well fefafe, 
without betraying- a cowardly difpofition. 

6. I afk, Who is the beft man : he who preaches 
the truth contrary to his judgment, for intereft, a? 
to gain applaufe ; or he that fairly fpeaks as he 
thinks, without difguife ; although he knows that 
it will difpleafe his beft friends on earth ; even 
upon the fuppofition that he errs, in many points ? 
If there be an heretic in the world, it is the man, 
who, for the love of money or applaufe, or through 
the fear of man, preaches that to others which he 
himfelf doth not believe. " He that is fuch, is fub* 
verted, and finneth; being condemned oi himfelf," 
Tit. iii. 11. 

7. If we are to hold forth nothing to mankind^ 
but what all are agreed in, we muft difcourfe upon 
very few fubje&s ; for I do not recolle£t fo much 
as one, but what people either difagree about the 
thing itfelf, the manner of explaining and hold- 
ing it : No ! not even the being and perfeclions of 
God ; nor any point of doftrinal, experimental, or 
even practical religion. 

8. We are to endeavor to teach mankind what 
they know not, as well as to confirm them in what 
they are already taught ; ftiould keep back nothing 
that may be profitable to them ; mould give meat 
to ftrong men, as well as milk to babes, and fhould 
not fhun to declare the zvkok counfel of God. We 
©ught to juftify the ways of God to men, to (hew 



Univerjdl Refloration. 

the neceffity and harmony of Divine Revelation, 
and take pains to convert infidels ; all which 
things are more promoted fay this view than any 
other. 

As to your queftion^ why 1 do not dwell more 
upon it ? I anfwer : 

1. There are a thoufand other fubjech in the Bi- 
ble, befides this ; and all deferve confideration, ac- 
cording to their weight and importance, ; 

2. I have an utter averfion to going always in the 
fame round of matter or manner ; and, therefore 1 
frequently vary in both, 

3. Therearemany other fubjects of more prefent 
importance than the belief of this ; fuch as s repent- 
ance, faith, hope, love, obedience, &c. and therefore 
ought to be. more frequently infilled on, in propor- 
tion to their prefent ufe. 

4. There are many fcenes of providence and grace 
to take place in the univerfe, before the general Ref— 
toration ; fuch as the Millenium, the calling of the 
Jews, the univerfal fpread of the gofpel through the* 
earth, &c. Thefe things are much nearer, and there~ 
fore the Scripture fpeaks more of them ; and what 
God moft fpeaks of, in his word, , we fhould dif- 
courfe of moft to the people, . 

5. This dofcrine, though it may have its ufe in' 
converting men ; and certainly enables thofe who 
believe it, to fet forth the terrors of the Lord, and 
his merries, in a more ftriking manner than other- 
wife they could ; yet it is chiefly ufeful in com- 
forting the people of God, and, in part, relieving 
them from that bitter anguifh which their tender 
minds feel, from the confideration of the vaft num. 
feers that perilli ; and, therefore, may not be fo 

proper 



Dialogues en the 



proper for a popular audience as many other fub- 

jecis. 

6. The plan of this grand Reftoration is fo vaft s 
includes fo many different and feemingly contra- 
dictory difpenfations, that it cannot be fairly Hated, 
and fully defended, in one fermon, and efpecially 
the objeftions anfwered ; and many perfons are not 
capable of taking in and digefting at once, fo many 
fubjefts as are neceffary to the underftanding of 
this matter, and have.not patience to attend to a 
long feries of demonftrations, arguments, and 
proofs ; and, therefore, this doftrine fhould not be 
introduced by any man, in any place, unlefs he has 
opportunity, to give it a fair inveftigation ; and,,, 
therefore,! never mention it at all, at my firfl preach- 
ing in any place ; nor unlefs I have fufficient oppor- 
tunities to difcufs it. 

7. Chrift. fays to his difciples — " I have yet ma- 
ny things to fay unto you ; but ye cannot bear them 
now," St. John xvi. 12. And St. Paul fays**— 
" And i r brethren, could not fpeak unto you as un- 
to fpiritual, but a* unto carnal ; even as unto babes 
in Chrifl : I have fed you with milk, and not with 
meat ; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it ; 
neither yet now are ye able/' 3 Cor. Hi. 1,2. 
■* Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full 
age ; even thofe who, by reafon of ufe, have their 
fenfes exercifed, to difcern both good and evil," 
Heb. v. 34. Therefore, as the Savior and his 
apoftles adapted their fubjefts and difcourfes to 
the circumflances of their hearers, and treated 
them in a gentle manner ; fo fhould we. Prudence, 
patience, and care, fhould always be ufed in dif- 
Gourfing on a do Brine fo deep and awful as this ; 



Vnivtrfal Rejl oration* 



and, efpeciaily, as it hath been fo little known o : 
late ages. 

8. I would wifh to eftablifh well the firft prin- 
ciples of Chriftianity, betore I meddle with any 
thing elfe ; and as to the doftrine of the Reftora- 
tion, I would rather that it fhould feem to be nat- 
urally inferred from truths already known, than 
delivered as an independent fy item : I, therefore,, 
feldom or ever make it a leading point in my dif~ 
courfes : but fometimes lead to it, as a natural con- 
sequence of what has been faid. After all, 1 would 
choofe that men fhculd difcover k themfelves, by 
carefully reading the Scriptures, without prejudice^ 
believing them to be ftriftly true ; by living in love 
towards God and man ; by walking in humility, of* 
ten reflecting on their former eftate ; and conftanU 
ly viewing the fufficiency of Ckriji, and the bound- 
lefs love of their great Creator ; rather than to leara 
it of any man, far lefs ftili, of fuch an unworthy 
worm as I am. 

9. As far as I know my own heart, truth, in 
love is my conftant aim. I am unconnected with 
any party ; and am not fo prejudiced in favor of 
any thing that I hold, but that I would willingly 
be convinced in any thing, by proper evidence ; 
and when fo convinced, i am ready to retraft pub- 
licly : As, therefore, 1 do not feel myfeif perfon- 
ally interested to fupport the fyftem, right or 
wrong ; I have, therefore, dwelt much lefs upon 
it, than moft preachers do upon their particular 
fentiments. 

10. When I fir ft embraced thefe views, I was 
obliged to give fame account of my reafons ; and 
I chofe rather to do it by writing than preaching : 
Accordingly, I publiflied my fentiments, and an* 

fwers 



Dialogues on the 

fwers to many objections ; which publications £c- 
mg in the hands of thofe to whom I preached) 
made it leis neceffary for me to difcourfe upon 
thofe matters in public, or even in private, as I 
could refer to what I had written ; and with the 
fame view, I am inclined to publiftr thefe familiar 
difcourfes, which we have had together ; after 
which it will be lefs neceffary than ever for me to 
preach the Reftoration publicly ; yet, I will not 
wholly avoid it, at convenient times, and in proper 
circumftances. 

11. Lalliy, as I know fo much of the nature 
of man, as to be fenfible that he turns, with dif* 
gufi: and loathing, from what is perpetually cram- 
med down his throat ; but relifhes that which he 
falls upon, as it were accidentally, and comes in- 
to by little and little ; I have always made it a rule 
never to introduce it, in public or private, unlefs 
where it was earneftly defrred, nor ever to continue 
it long together ; and, above all, never to queftioa 
people upon the fubjeflr; after difcourfing upon it ; 
afking them, faying, Do you believe it ? &c. Nor 
would I ever wifh to prefs them with the arguments 
at once, and oblige them immediately to yield ; as 
this kind of conduct, fo far from anfwering any 
good purpofes, commonly fets them again ft what is 
thus intruded upon them. It is the beft way to give 
time and leifure to perfons, whom you would wifh 5 
to convince ; and let them exercife their own fac- 
ulties. 

Friend. I muft confefs that what you have ad- 
vanced is highly fatisfaclory to me, and 1 truft 
will be fo to many others, who may read thefe 
converfations, which I hope to have the pleafure 
of feeing .ia print before long ; and in the iuc?m 

time. 



Univerfal Reftoration, 



iniie, I wifli for a bleffing to attend your labors, and 
that you may be an inltrumentof much good toman- 
kind in your day and generation, and thai you may 
obtain a crown of life from the Lord the righteous 
judge, in the day of his appearing. 

Minifter. I thank you mull kindly for your be- 
nevolent vvifhes, I heartily wifh the fame bleiTing 
may come to yourielf. And if I have been an in- 
ftrument of giving ycu any fatisfaclion, let all the 
glory be to God, but let me have an intereft in your 
prayers, 



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